COMPANY 


O  O  T 


JTA 


*- 


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IN  STRANGE  COMPANY 


In  Strange  Company 

A  STORY  OF  CHILI  AND 
THE   SOUTHERN    SEAS 


By  GuyA  Boothby^? 

AUTHOR   OF  |    Ct  Q  £" 

"  Pharos,  the  Egyptian,"  "  Dr.  Nikola's  Experiment,"  etc. 


NEW    YORK    AND    LONDON 
STREET  &  SMITH,  PUBLISHERS 


)—  ^  o  ib  o 

7?  S3 


Copyright,  1894  and  'S^. 
By  F.  TENNYSON  NEELY. 


Copyright,  1900, 
By  STREET  &  SMITH 


~3°(  8  47 

iiincroft  Library 

bnnc.orr   L.brary 

University  of  California 

WITHDRAWN 


Dearest  /fcotbet, 

rri« 

WITH  THE  UTMOST  LO V ft 

THAT  I 
DEDICATE  TO  YOU  THIS  BOOK, 

THE  OUTCOME  OF  TEN  LONG  YEARS  OF  SEPARATION- 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION   BY   ME.    LUKE   SANCTUARY  ...  ^  1 
Setting  forth  how  the  Book  came  to  be  written,  and  con- 
taining a  Copy  of  a  most  important  Letter. 

PART  L 

CHAP. 

L      SHOWING   WHERE   THE   MONEY  REALLY  CAME  FROM  13 

II.      A  STRANGE   NIGHT                     —  ...  ...  25 

III.  A   STRANGER   DAY                      ...  ...  ...  52 

IV.  THE   ALBINO    IS   DISAPPOINTED  ...  ...  66 

Y.      THE   ESCAPE   FROM   CHILI      ...  —  ...  72 

VI.      THE   'ISLAND   QUEEN*              —  ^  »~  81 

VIL      THE   MAN'S   DEATH                    ...  *».  ...  98 

PART  IL 

I.      JOHN   RAMSAY  TAKES   UP  THE  TALE  ...  _  115 

II.       A  CHEQUERED  CAREER           ...  ...  ...  134 

HI.      SACRED  AND   PROFANE   LOVE  ...  ...  151 

IV.       RAMSAY   BECOMES   A   SHIP-OWNER  ...  ...  165 

V.      A  CURIOUS   QUEST                      ...  M  _  180 

VI.      AN   UNEXPECTED   VISITOR       ...  ...  ...  190 

VIL       BATAVIA A   STRANGE  MEETING  *~  ...198 


CONTENTS. 
PART   HL 

JHAP. 

I.   RAMSAY  IS  RELEASED  FROM  CUSTODY  ...   216 

II.   GAOL-BREAKING  EXTRAORDINARY     ...  .,.   228 

III.  THE  ISLAND     ...       M.       ...  ...   243 

IV.  RESCUED        ...       ...       .«.  ...   257 

V.      RAMSAY   MEETS   OLD   FRIENDS                   ~.  «..      270 

*L       CONCLUSION              «**•*•«.  288 


IN  STRANGE   COMPANY. 


INTRODUCTION. 

IN  WHICH   IS  SET  FORTH  HOW  THE  BOOK  CAME 
TO  BE  WRITTEN. 

FUST  and  foremost  it  should  be  stated  how  I,  Luke 
Sanctuary,  came  to  be  connected  with  this  most 
extraordinary  and,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  mysterious 
business.  For  my  own  part,  I  do  not  doubt  but  that 
when  you  have  read  a  few  pages  you  will  have  come  to 
the  conclusion  that,  personally,  I  had  no  share  in  its 
actual  making,  for  I  am  a  man  of  peaceful  disposition, 
as  much  unaccustomed  as  I  am  unfitted  to  bear  a  hand 
in  such  adventurous  concerns;  and  what  is  perhaps 
more  to  the  point,  one  who  has  never  been  out  of 
England  in  the  whole  course  of  his  existence. 

This  preliminary  having  been  set  forth,  and  your 
mind  disabused  of  any  false  impression,  I  am  brought 
to  the  plain  matter  at  issue,  namely,  the  reason  of,  the 
facts  which  led  to,  and  the  people  who  induced  my 
taking  up  the  writing  of  this  book.  And  as  this  again 


2  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

— for  it  seems  I  am  not  permitted  to  escape  it — neces- 
sitates the  narration  of  more  concerning  myself,  let  me, 
if  I  can  be  nothing  else,  be  brief. 

To  begin  with,  my  name  is  Luke  Sanctuary ;  I  am  a 
bachelor ;  a  man  of  regular  and  studious  habits ;  the 
possessor  of  what  is  vaguely  termed  a  comfortable 
income ;  and,  as  the  result  of  such  an  income,  a  house, 
my  friends  tell  me,  of  considerable  attractions,  situated 
in  that  Garden  of  all  England,  the  Isle  of  Wight 

And  truly  enough  it  is,  if  the  two  terms  be  not 
synonymous,  both  a  comfortable  and  pleasant  home ; 
for  while  I  have  endeavoured  to  make  its  internal 
accommodation  what  I  imagine  a  dwelling-house  in 
these  enlightened  days  should  be,  its  external  advantages 
have  not  been  unconsidered.  From  my  windows,  look- 
ing towards  the  north,  I  can  command  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  extensive  views  along  the  whole  length 
of  the  English  coast ;  while  straight  before  me,  and  as 
far  as  the  eye  can  reach  to  right  and  left,  stretches 
Spithead,  glittering,  as  I  write,  a  bright  sapphire  blue, 
in  the  warm  sunshine  of  this  September  morning. 
Across  its  placid  surface  may  be  seen  the  forts  and 
mast  forest  of  Portsmouth,  with  Gosport  on  the  near, 
and  Southsea  dim  and  distant  on  the  far  side;  to  all 
of  which  the  hills  of  Portsdown  form  an  effective 
background. 

Of  shipping  there  is  no  lack  :  a  cruiser  of  the  latest 
pattern,  newly  commissioned,  lies  at  anchor  immedi- 
ately before  me ;  a  deep  sea  cable-steamer  is  in  the  act 
of  entering  the  harbour;  while  torpedo-boats,  ferry- 
steamers,  colliers,  mud-dredgers,  yachts,  and  such-like 


HOW    THE    BOOK    CAME    TO    BE    WRITTEN.          3 

small  craft  pass  to  and  fro  continually,  as  if  for  my 
peculiar  and  individual  benefit. 

It  is  a  picture  of  which  I  never  grow  weary,  and 
indeed  I  sometimes  feel,  were  its  attractions  not  so 
irresistible,  my  book,  *  The  First  Fruits  of  the  Renais- 
sance/ upon  which  I  have  been  engaged  these  eight  years 
past,  and  which  is  as  yet  only  in  its  fifty-second  chapter, 
would  long  ago  have  been  in  print,  delighting  an 
appreciative  public,  or,  what  is  more  likely,  cumbering 
the  shelves  of  our  second-hand  dealers.  And  surely — 
for  I  am  in  the  humour  for  philosophical  reflection — no 
better  view,  or  one  more  suited  to  the  opening  of  this 
strange  story,  could  possibly  be  chosen  than  Spithead 
on  this  pleasant  autumn  morning. 

But  it  is  easier,  I  find,  to  talk  of  beginning  than 
actually  to  begin,  for  twice  I  have  dipped  my  pen  in 
the  ink,  and  twice  I  have  pulled  my  virgin  foolscap 
towards  me,  but  somehow  I  have  not  yet  managed  to 
commence.  Now,  however,  I  will  sound  the  bugles  and 
open  the  attack. 

But  it  is  of  no  use !  Fate,  in  the  form  of  a  heavy 
footstep,  is  on  the  stairs,  and  a  masculine  voice  is 
calling,  "Cousin  Luke,  Cousin  Luke,  where  on  earth 
have  you  stowed  yourself  away  ?  " 

The  voice  is  the  voice  of  my  sailor  cousin  by 
marriage,  John  Ramsay,  who,  with  his  bride,  has  been 
my  guest  this  fortnight  past.  His  bellow  has  something 
of  the  resonance  of  a  fog-horn,  and,  partly  for  the  safety 
of  my  roof  and  partly  to  gratify  my  own  curiosity,  I  am 
induced  to  acquaint  him  of  my  whereabouts.  There- 
upon he  rushes  impulsively  in,  for  he  will  never  be 


4  IN   STRANGE    COMPANY. 

aught  but  a  boy  in  his  manners,  his  face  aglow  with 
excitement,  and  brandishing  a  sheet  of  note-paper  in  his 
hand. 

"'Vast  working,  Cousin  Luke,"  he  cries,  scattering 
my  MSS.  with  the  violence  of  his  inrush;  "pipe  all 
hands,  for  here  it  is,  just  arrived  by  post  from  Sir 
Benjamin  ! " 

"  What  is  here  ? "  I  ask,  looking  up  into  his  hand- 
some sunburnt  face  with  a  smile.  "What  has  Sir 
Benjamin  been  kind  enough  to  send  me  ?  A  brace  of 
partridges  perhaps,  or " 

"  A  brace  of  horse-marines ! "  is  the  prompt  reply, 
and  thereupon  my  manuscripts  are  unceremoniously 
swept  off  the  table,  to  make  room  for  the  sheet  of  note- 
paper  I  have  mentioned  above. 

"  Now,  Cousin  Luke,  I'll  have  to  trouble  you  for  the 
loan  of  your  best  attention,"  he  says,  "  for  here  is  the 
mysterious  letter  of  which  I  told  you  last  night ;  here 
is  the  bit  of  paper  which  has  caused  four  people  to 
play  hide-and-seek  all  round  the  world,  occasioned  the 
death  of  two,  and  done  its  best  to  kill  half-a-dozen 
others.  Oh  !  my  dear  departed  grandmother,  just  fancy 
that  innocent  little  slip  of  cream-laid  having  once  been 
worth  a  couple  of  hundred  thousand  pounds  ! " 

I  am  supposed  to  know  intuitively  to  what  he  refers, 
for  he  waves  his  hand  with  a  commanding  gesture, 
forces  me  back  into  my  seat,  and  then,  smoothing  the 
letter  out,  bids  me  read  it  aloud  for  his  and  my  own 
information.  This  is  what  I  read,  and  as  upon  it 
depends  the  whole  point  of  this  book,  I  beg  that  you 
will  give  it  your  best  attention. 


HOW   THE   BOOK   CAME   TO   BE   WRITTEN.          5 

*  Valparaiso,  Chili, 

"  8th  August,  1891. 

*To  SIB  BENJAMIN  PLOWDEN,  KNT.,  ETC.,  ETO, 
"EAST  INDIA  AVENUE,  LONDON. 

"  My  worthy  and  respected  Uncle  Benjamin, 

"  I  beg  you  will  not  suppose  for  an  instant 
that  I  am  unable  to  imagine  with  what  apprehension 
and  surprise  you  will  receive  this  letter  from  one  so 
unworthy  as  your  nephew,  written  from  such  a  place, 
and  dated  at  such  a  serious  time.  And  yet,  both  the 
place  and  the  serious  time  are  part  and  parcel  of  the 
reason  which  induces  the  communication. 

"  To  lay  my  business  properly  before  you,  it  is  neces- 
sary that  I  should  carry  your  memory  back,  let  us  say 
fifteen  years,  when,  after  a  certain  episode  which  it 
would  become  neither  of  us  to  recall,  you  were  good 
enough  to  show  me  the  front  door  of  England,  and  the 
back  entrance  to  the  outside  world,  at  the  same  time 
enriching  me  with  much  good  advice,  two  trenchant 
sayings  from  the  works  of  that  priggish  person  Solomon, 
and  last,  but  by  no  means  least,  Five  Hundred  Pounds 
sterling. 

"Reflecting  that  all  countries  present  equal  possi- 
bilities to  the  possessor  of  five  hundred  pounds  in  hard 
cash,  I  came  out  here,  with  the  result,  that  by  ceaseless 
energy  and  thrift  (of  the  possession  of  which  latter 
virtue  you  have  hitherto  scarcely  believed  me  capable) 
I  have  added  to  the  five  hundred  pounds  you  advanced 
me,  four  hundred  similar  amounts. 

"  In  other  words,  my  revered  relative,  my  adventures 
nave  prospered  beyond  my  wildest  expectations.  My 


6  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

silver  mines  have  achieved  wonders.  As  for  my 
Haciendas,  by  which  name  these  ignorant  foreigners 
denominate  such  farms  as  those  of  which  I  know  you, 
my  uncle,  to  be  the  possessor,  I  managed  to  dispose  of 
them,  prior  to  this  unfortunate  Revolution,  for  consider- 
ably more  than  twice  their  real  value.  Therefore,  to 
all  intents  and  purposes,  I  may  be  considered  what  you, 
in  your  absurd  City  jargon,  would  term  a  decidedly 
warm  or  rich  man.  So  much  by  way  of  introduction. 

"  Now  though  I  am,  both  by  instinct  and  training, 
distrustful  and  suspicious,  yet,  strangely  enough,  I  am 
about  to  forswear  my  principles  so  far  as  to  repose  in 
you,  my  father's  brother,  being  perfectly  assured  of  your 
probity  and  honour,  such  confidence  as  one  man  seldom 
places  in  another.  In  other  words,  having  in  my  mind 
the  perilous  times  now  upon  this  unhappy  country,  I 
am  remitting  to  your  charge  by  the  good  ship  Culloden, 
advised  as  leaving  here  on  Thursday  of  next  week,  the 
entire  amount  of  my  fortune,  amounting  to  Two  Hun- 
dred Thousand  Pounds  of  English  money,  in  specie, 
securely  packed  in  accordance  with  the  steam-ship 
company's  regulations,  and  addressed  to  you  in  London. 
The  bill  of  lading  accompanies  this  present  letter, 
which  will  be  conveyed  to  and  posted  in  London  by 
Captain  Porson  of  H.M.S.  Chanticleer,  leaving  Valparaiso 
to-morrow  morning. 

"  That  this  extraordinary  trust  will  occasion  you  some 
little  surprise  I  do  not  doubt,  but  from  what  I  know  of 
your  character,  I  feel  certain  that  not  only  will  you 
accept  the  charge,  but  that  you  will  guard  my  interests 
as  you  would  your  own. 

*  Were  it  not  that  I  consider  it  my  duty  to  remain  in 


HOW  THE   BOOK    CAME   TO   BE   WRITTEN.          7 

this  country  until  these  troubles  are  overpast,  I  should 
certainly  come  home  to  guard  my  fortune  personally. 
But  such  a  thing  being,  for  the  present,  impossible,  I 
have,  I  believe,  by  placing  it  in  your  hands,  done  both 
what  is  wisest  and  best  to  secure  its  safety. 

"  One  earnest  piece  of  advice  I  would  entreat  you  to 
remember.  For  the  reason  that  I  am  successful,  I  have 
made  many  enemies  here,  who  would  not  scruple  to 
employ  any  means,  however  base,  to  bring  about  my 
ruin.  I  beg  and  implore,  therefore,  that  you  will  pay 
no  attention  whatsoever  to  any  person,  male  or  female, 
who  may  approach  you  in  my  name,  either  by  letter  or 
otherwise,  with  the  following  exception. 

"  Should  it  be  necessary  for  me  to  communicate  with 
you,  either  personally  or  by  messenger,  you  will  do 
nothing,  listen  to  no  proposals,  or  even  hint  that  you 
know  anything  of  my  existence  or  my  fortune,  until  you 
have  in  your  hand  the  following  authority. 

"Having  carefully  considered  the  matter  in  all  its 
bearings,  I  have  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  there  is 
only  one  thing  absolutely  and  wholly  unforgeable  and 
unmatchable  within  my  reach,  and  that  is,  the  tear  in 
an  ordinary  sheet  of  paper. 

"  To  apply  this  knowledge  to  my  own  purposes,  I  have 
obtained  from  a  certain  source  a  sample  of  quite  un- 
known note-paper,  and  torn  it  in  half  in  a  peculiar 
manner.  One  portion  I  send  to  you  herewith;  the 
other  I  shall  retain  in  my  own  keeping,  until  I  desire 
to  communicate  with  you.  It  is  obviously  impossible — 
no  one  having  seen  this  paper  in  my  possession — that 
any  third  party  could  so  tear  another  as  to  match, 
fibre  for  fibre,  the  piece  you  hold,  even  could  they 


8  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

obtain  a  similar  description  of  paper,  which  I  happen 
to  know  is  out  of  the  question. 

"This  being  so,  any  person  bringing  to  you  a  sample 
of  the  same  water-mark,  of  the  same  texture,  and,  more 
important  still,  torn  in  such  a  manner  as  to  exactly  fit 
the  piece  you  hold,  must  either  have  stolen  it  from  me 
(which  I  can  confidently  promise  shall  not  happen),  or 
be  my  bond-fide  agent.  I  beg  therefore  that  you  will 
pay  to  him  whatsoever  sum,  up  to  the  entire  amount, 
he  shall  ask  of  you.  But  remember,  on  no  consideration 
shall  you  pay  even  so  much  as  one  half-penny  to  any 
person  vihomsoevcr,  even  one  representing  himself  to  be 
your  unworthy  nephewt  until  this  duplicate  is  in  your 


"  For  reasons  which  would  not  have  the  slightest  inter- 
est for  you,  I  am  compelled  to  act  in  this  mysterious 
fashion ;  and  such  is  my  absolute  trust  and  confidence 
in  your  honour  and  integrity,  that  I  go  so  far  as  to 
freely  absolve  you  beforehand  from  any  blame  whatso- 
ever, should  the  precautions  I  have  enumerated  here 
miscarry. 

"  Believe  me,  such  warnings  are  not  idle ;  attempts 
will  certainly  be  made  to  obtain  the  money,  and  after 
careful  consideration,  I  think  I  have  hit  upon  the  only 
safe  way  to  guard  myself  against  any  such  conspiracies. 

"  If  by  any  chance  no  word  shall  reach  you  from  me 
within  the  space  of  twenty-one  years,  day  for  day  from 
this  8th  of  August,  you  may  regard  it  as  complete 
evidence  of  my  death,  and  in  that  case  I  bequeath  to 
your  children,  should  you  at  that  time  have  any  living, 
or  failing  them  to  such  members  of  my  father's  family 
as  may  then  be  alive,  the  entire  amount  of  my  fortune, 


SOW    THE    BOOK    CAME    TO    BE    WRITTEN.          9 

with  all  interests  and  accumulations  which  may  have 
become  added  thereto. 

"T  am  my  uncle, 

"  Your  obliged  and  obedient  nephew, 

"  MARMADUKE  PLOWDEN." 

When  I  reached  the  signature,  Ramsay,  who  had 
been  listening  with  unabating  interest,  hit  me  a  heavy 
thwack  upon  the  shoulder,  at  the  same  time  crying 
enthusiastically — 

"  There,  my  learned  cousin,  what  is  your  opinion  of 
that  precious  document  ? " 

"  I  think,"  said  I,  with  a  gravity  befitting  such  an 
important  decision,  "  that  it  is  the  letter  of  a  very 
unscrupulous,  and  I  should  say  at  the  time  he  wrote  it, 
very  frightened,  man.'* 

"  My  idea  exactly,"  Ramsay  replied.  "  It  is  interest- 
ing to  note  how  ms  impudence  dies  out  as  his  letter 
progresses,  and  how  its  place  is  usurped  by  a  good  whole- 
some fear.  One  thing  more,  do  you  honestly  believe 
that  that  vast  sum  of  money,  £200,000,  came  from  the 
respectable  sources  to  which  he  alludes — silver  mines 
and  farm  properties,  and  such-like ;  all  accumulated 
by  his  own  thrift  and  industry  ?  " 

"  How  can  I  tell  ?  But  from  what  I  know  of  the 
man,  I  should  be  rather  inclined  to  guess — not  !  " 

"  Very  good.  And  now,  as  we're  agreed  upon  that 
point,  let  me  ask  you  what  recollections,  if  any,  you 
have  of  this  peculiar  relative  of  yours  ? — for  relative  ta 
certainly  is." 

"  Of  Marmaduke  Plowden  ? " 


10  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"  Exactly ;  in  Chili  known  as  Marcos  Veneda.  Surely 
you  must  have  seen  him  often  when  he  was  a  boy  ?  " 

"Not  often,  Jack  —  half-a-dozen  times  at  most; 
certainly  not  more.  He  lived  on  the  other  side  of  the 
kingdom,  you  must  remember ;  and  then  again,  he  was 
not  the  sort  of  youth  of  whom  one  would  be  anxious 
to  see  very  much." 

"  What  was  he  like  ?  " 

I  hesitated  before  replying.  The  truth  was,  it  was 
an  awkward  question,  for  upon  the  last  occasion  of  rny 
seeing  him,  he  was  sitting  in  the  office  of  my  kinsman, 
the  Sir  Benjamin  Plowden  before  referred  to,  looking 
very  frightened  and  miserable,  and  wondering  how  a 
certain  interview  which  was  being  conducted  in  an 
adjoining  room  would  end ;  that  is,  whether  it  would 
result  in  his  being  sent  to  gaol  or  abroad.  As  may  be 
imagined,  under  these  circumstances,  he  did  not  look 
his  best.  But  then  that  was  well-nigh  twenty  years  ago. 

So  absorbed  was  I  in  recalling  these  recollections, 
that  I  had  quite  forgotten  my  companion's  question. 
He  brought  me  back  to  my  senses  with  a  start. 

"  Come,  come,  Cousin  Luke,  no  day-dreams,  if  you 
please;  you  haven't  answered  my  question  yet." 

"  Well,  Jack,  as  a  young  man,  perhaps  I  cannot  give 
you  any  better  description  of  him  than  to  say  that  he 
was,  without  doubt,  the  handsomest,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  most  untrustworthy  being,  with  whom  I  had 
ever  come  into  contact.  As  old  Darby,  our  coachman 
in  those  days,  once  put  it,  *  Young  Master  Marmaduke's 
as  'andsome  as  paint,  but  lor,  there,  it's  all  on  top,  like 
bad  coach  varnish  ! '  In  fact,  there  was  something  about 


HOW    THE    BOOK    CAME    TO    BE    WRITTEN.     11 

the  lad's  good  looks  that  repelled  rather  than  attracted 
one/' 

"  How  do  you  mean — a  sort  of  fierceness  ?  " 

"  No;  a  something  that  was  rather  crafty  than  fierce, 
a  something  that  betrayed  cruelty  as  well  as  cunning. 
As  a  school -boy  there  was  nobody  more  admired  for  his 
beauty  or  more  despised  for  his  moral  character." 

"  Was  he  a  plucky  boy  ?  " 

"  To  an  extraordinary  degree,  I  believe,  as  far  as 
personal  bravery  went;  but  somehow  he  was  always 
at  daggers  drawn,  not  with  his  school -fellows  alone,  but 
with  everybody  with  whom  he  came  into  contact." 

"  And  when  he  left  school  ?  " 

"  As  far  as  I  remember  he  went  first  into  some  office 
in  a  country  town,  where  he  remained  for  a  year;  then 
Sir  Benjamin  took  him  in  hand,  and  got  him  a  situation 
in  a  large  banking  institution  in  London." 

"And  after  that?" 

"  Commenced  his  downfall ;  he  fell  in  with  a  low  set, 
became  a  frequenter  of  second-rate  race -courses,  an 
admirer  of  ballet-girls  and  objectionable  barmaids; 
finally,  is  said  to  have  forged  his  benefactor's  name, 
and  to  have  come  within  an  ace  of  standing  in  a  felon's 
dock." 

"  A  nice  character  truly  I  And  Sir  Benjamin  honoured 
the  signature  ?  " 

"For  the  sake  of  the  lad's  mother.  And  then  it 
was,  I  suppose,  that  he  gave  him  the  £500  referred 
to  in  that  letter,  and  shipped  him  out  of  England." 

"  And,  as  far  as  you  know,  he  was  never  heard  of 
•gain,  until  his  letter  and  the  £200,000  arrived  ?  * 


12  IN    STEANGE    COMPANY. 

"  Not  to  my  knowledge  ;  in  fact,  until  you  recalled 
it,  I  had  almost  forgotten  his  existence." 

1 '  Very  well  then.  Now  you'll  just  come  for  a  walk 
with  me,  and,  as  we  go,  I'll  tell  you  something  of 
Marmaduke  Plow  den's — otherwise  Marcos  Veneda's — 
wonderful  career,  from  the  day  he  left  England  till  I 
made  his  acquaintance,  under  such  peculiar  circum- 
stances, six  months  ago.  Then  you  shall  take  pens, 
paper,  and  ink,  and  write  the  first  half  of  it.  I'll  do  the 
last,  and  together  we'll  make  it  into  a  book  for  the  in- 
formation of  the  world.  Here's  a  case  full  of  first-class 
cigars ;  it's  a  perfect  day  for  a  tramp  ;  so  get  your 
things  and  come  along." 

Resistance  being  useless,  I  collected  hat  and  stick 
and  went,  and  the  result  of  that  walk  is  the  story — 
strange  enough,  goodness  knows — which  I  now  place 
before  you. 


PARTL 
CHAPTER  L 

SHOWING  WHERE  THE  MONEY  REALLY  CAME  FROM* 

SO  far  we  have  seen,  that  shifty  Marmaduke  Plowden, 
in  Chili  known  as  Marcos  Veneda,  despatched  to 
the  care  of  his  uncle,  Sir  Benjamin  Plowden,  of  the  East 
India  Avenue,  London,  £200,000  in  English  gold,  with 
the  request  that  that  gentleman  would  keep  it  for  him 
until  he  could  come  home  to  look  after  it  himself. 

Now,  to  properly  understand  our  story,  we  must  hark 
back  to  the  very  beginning  of  things,  and  endeavour  to 
discover  where  such  an  enormous  fortune  came  from  in 
the  first  instance ;  for  the  statement  of  its  owner  that 
he  derived  it  from  his  silver  mines  and  Hacienda 
properties  is  not  worthy  of  a  moment's  credence.  There 
is  only  one  person  who  can  elucidate  the  mystery  for 
us,  and  his  extraordinary  adventures  we  must  now 
proceed  to  consider. 

You  must  understand  that  Michael  Bradshaw,  of  3 
Parkington  Terrace,  South  Kensington,  was  that  sort 
of  superlatively  clever  person  who,  after  a  life  of  grand 
coups,  always  comes  to  grief  in  some  superlatively  silly 
fashion.  From  the  day  on  which  he  first  entered  the 


14  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

service  of  the  Anglo-Kamtchatka  Bank,  to  the  evening 
of  the  dinner  in  his  honour  at  the  Whitehall  Rooms 
as  general  manager,  his  career  was  one  of  exceptional 
brilliance.  He  it  was  who  hit  out  the  scheme  which 
saved  the  Bank  in  the  matter  of  the  Bakell-Askern 
Syndicate ;  he  it  was  who  manipulated  the  Patagonian 
Bonds  and  the  Golden  Sunset  Silver  Mining  Company 
to  the  Bank's  ultimate  advantage ;  he  it  was  who — but 
there,  his  devices  are  matters  of  history,  and  beyond 
being  corroborative  evidences  of  his  cleverness,  are  of 
little  or  no  moment  to  this  story.  The  following  notice 
of  the  dinner  above  referred  to  appeared  in  the  columns 
of  the  daily  press  the  next  morning,  and  is  worth 
considering — 

"  At  the  Whitehall  Rooms,  last  evening,  Mr.  Michael 
Bradshaw,  the  well-known  and  universally  respected 
General  Manager  of  the  Anglo-Kamtchatka  Banking 
Company,  was  entertained  at  dinner  by  the  Directors 
of  that  institution,  prior  to  his  departure  for  a  brief 
holiday  in  the  South  of  France.  Covers  were  laid  for 
a  hundred  guests,  the  chair  being  taken  by  the  Right 
Honourable  Lord  Burgoo,  Chairman  of  the  Company. 
In  proposing  the  toast  of  'Their  Guest/  the  noble 
Chairman  eulogized  Mr.  Bradshaw's  services  to  the 
Bank,  and  hoped  that  the  holiday  he  was  about  to 
enjoy  would  enable  him  to  devote  many  more  years 
to  the  advancement  of  the  institution  he  had  served  so 
well  Mr.  Bradshaw  replied  in  feeling  terms." 

After  the  dinner  the  manager  drove  back  to  his 
house  in  Kensington.  Though  it  was  well-nigh  two 


WHERE  THE  MONEY  REALLY  CAME  FROM.    15 

o'clock,  he  did  not  think  of  going  to  bed,  but  went  into 
his  study  and  lit  a  cigar.  As  every  one  had  noticed 
that  evening,  he  certainly  looked  as  if  he  needed  a 
holiday;  his  face  was  woefully  haggard,  and  his  eyes 
had  a  peculiar  brilliance  that  spoke,  as  plainly  as  any 
words,  of  sleepless  nights  and  never-ceasing  worry 
and  anxiety. 

For  a  long  time  he  promenaded  the  room,  his  hands 
in  his  pockets  and  his  face  sternly  set.  Once  he  smiled 
sardonically  as  the  recollection  of  the  evening's  speeches 
crossed  his  mind.  Then,  throwing  himself  into  a  chair 
before  his  writing-table,  he  began  to  unlock  the  drawers, 
and  to  destroy  the  papers  they  contained. 

When  this  task  was  completed,  the  sun  had  been  up 
some  time,  and  a  large  pile  of  paper-ash  lay  inside  the 
grate.  He  pulled  back  the  curtains,  unbarred  the 
shutters,  and  opened  the  window,  letting  in  a  flood  of 
sunshine.  Then,  dropping  into  a  comfortable  chair 
beside  the  fire,  he  fell  asleep. 

By  eight  o'clock  he  was  at  Charing  Cross,  his  ticket 
was  taken,  and  he  was  bidding  good-bye  to  a  large 
crowd  of  friends. 

Next  day,  instead  of  busying  himself  with  the  enjoy- 
ments of  Monte  Carlo,  as  his  friends  supposed  him,  he 
was  in  reality  at  Dieppe,  anxiously  awaiting  the  arrival 
of  a  small  brig,  the  Florence  Annie  of  Teignmouth.  As 
soon  as  she  arrived  he  boarded  her,  and  half-an-hour 
later,  a  course  being  set,  she  was  bowling  down  Channel, 
bound  for  Buenos  Ayres.  It  was  peculiar  that  the 
captain  invariably  addressed  his  passenger  as  "Mr. 
Vincent."  It  was  strange  also  that,  for  a  voyage  of 


16  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

such  duration,  he  should  have  brought  with  him  so 
small  an  amount  of  luggage.  In  the  hold,  however, 
were  half-a-dozen  barrels  inscribed  with  his  name,  and 
labelled  " Cement."  Now  cement,  as  everyone  knows, 
is  a  staple  article  of  export  from  Great  Britain  to  the 
South  American  Kepublics. 

A  month  later,  all  England  was  astounded  by  the 
news  that  Michael  Bradshaw,  the  admired  and  univers- 
ally respected,  was  wanted  by  the  police  on  a  charge  of 
defrauding  the  Anglo-Kamtchatka  Banking  Company 
of  £250,000.  But  so  carefully  had  his  plans  been 
arranged,  that  not  a  trace  of  either  the  money  or  his 
whereabouts  could  be  discovered.  Being  a  cultivated 
person,  he  might  have  replied  with  Plautus,  "  Doli  non 
doli  sunt,  nisi  astu  colas" 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Florence  Annie  at  her  destin- 
ation, Bradshaw,  alias  Vincent,  went  ashore  with  his 
barrels  of  cement,  determining  to  settle  himself  down 
to  the  study  of  Argentine  life  and  character,  having 
pleasing  knowledge  of  the  fact,  that  at  that  time  "  on 
no  condition  was  extradition  allowed  in  Buenos  Ayres." 
But  careful  though  he  was  not  to  excite  attention,  before 
he  had  been  a  week  in  his  new  abode  he  began  to  have 
suspicions  that  his  secret  was  discovered.  He  fought 
against  the  idea  with  all  his  strength.  But  the  more 
he  struggled,  the  stronger  it  grew,  till  at  last,  unable  to 
support  his  anxiety  any  longer,  he  determined  to  cross 
the  Andes  into  Chili,  confident  that  in  the  Balmaceda 
turmoil  his  identity  would  never  be  discovered.  A 
long  and  agonizing  railway  journey  brought  him  to 
Mendoza.  There,  with  prodigious  care,  he  chose  his 


WHERE  THE  MONEY  REALLY  CAME  FROM.    17 

muleteers,  packed  his  barrels  of  cement,  and  plunged 
into  the  mountains. 

At  no  time  is  that  journey  across  the  Andes  one  to 
be  lightly  undertaken.  To  Michael  Bradshaw  it  was 
a  nightmare,  from  which  there  seemed  no  awakening. 
Fear  spurred  him  on  behind ;  vague  terrors  of  the  Un- 
known beckoned  him  ahead;  while  treachery  menaced 
him  continually  on  either  hand.  When  at  last,  more 
dead  than  alive,  he  arrived  in  Valparaiso,  he  paid  off 
his  team;  and  leasing  an  obscure  residence  in  the  Calle 
de  San  Pedro,  prepared  himself  to  wait,  guarding  his 
treasure  night  and  day,  until  the  war  should  be 
over. 

But  though  he  was  not  aware  of  it,  his  arrival  in  the 
town  was  already  known,  and  plans  were  in  active 
preparation  for  relieving  him  of  his  wealth.  His 
enemies  had  failed  before,  they  had  altered  their 
tactics  now.  Sooner  or  later,  they  must  succeed. 

One  evening  Michael  Bradshaw  sat  in  the  only  room 
he  had  made  habitable,  earnestly  perusing  a  Guide  to 
the  Spanish  language.  He  had  been  in  Valparaiso 
nearly  a  week,  and  as  he  never  ventured  outside  his 
own  door,  he  found  his  time  hang  heavily  on  his  hands. 
I  am  not  quite  certain  that  he  had  not  already  begun 
to  regret  his  felony ;  not  from  any  conscientious  motives 
perhaps,  but  because  he  found  himself  in  an  awkward 
if  not  dangerous  position.  You  see  as  far  as  his  own 
personal  feelings  went  lie  was  still  the  respectable  Eng- 
lish banker,  therefore  to  have  assassination  menacing 
him  continually  was  a  future  he  had  certainly  neither 
mapped  out  for  himself  nor  was  it  one  he  would  be 


18  IN    STKANGE    COMPANY. 

likely  to  understand.  He  had  been  obliged  to  leave 
the  Argentine  because  he  believed  his  secret  had  been 
discovered,  and  now  in  Chili  he  was  afraid  to  go  very 
much  abroad  lest  any  of  his  former  enemies  might 
meet  and  recognize  him.  He  had  many  regrets,  but 
perhaps  the  most  bitter  was  the  fact  that  Valparaiso  is 
an  extradition  port. 

Since  his  arrival  he  had  unpacked  his  barrels  of 
cement,  and  with  infinite  trouble  concealed  the  treasure 
they  so  cunningly  contained  under  the  floor  of  his 
room.  This  exertion,  if  it  had  served  no  other  purpose, 
bad  at  least  afforded  him  some  occupation. 

After  a  while  he  looked  at  his  watch  and  found  it 
was  growing  late.  Putting  down  his  book,  he  was  in 
the  act  of  making  up  his  bed,  which,  by  the  way,  was 
not  as  luxurious  as  the  one  to  which  he  had  been 
accustomed  in  his  old  house  at  Kensington,  when  to 
his  horror  he  heard  stealthy  footsteps  in  the  corridor 
outside  his  room.  Next  moment  the  door  opened,  and 
a  tall  and  singularly  handsome  man  entered.  He 
bowed  politely,  and  said  in  excellent  English — 

"Mr.  Bradshaw,  I  believe?" 

The  ex-banker  was  too  terrified  to  reply. 

"  I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  calling  upon  you  on  a 
little  matter  of  business.  May  I  sit  down  ?  " 

Without  waiting  for  permission,  he  seated  himself 
on  the  bed.  Bradshaw  sank  back  with  a  groan  into 
his  chair. 

"  You  are  lately  from  England,  I  believe  ?  " 

Bradshaw  found  his  voice  at  last,  and  said  the  firgt 
thing  that  came  into  his  head. 


WHERE   THE    MONEY    REALLY    CAME    FROM.        19 

"What  do  you  want  with  me?  I  cannot  see  you 
;  I'm  not  well." 

"I  am  sorry,  but  what  I  have  to  say  admits  of  no 
delay.  You  arrived  in  Buenos  Ayres  by  the  brig 
Florence  Annie  of  Teignmouth — and  oh,  by  the  way. 
what  have  you  done  with  that  £250,000  ?  ° 

"  For  mercy  'a  lake,  feel!  me  what  you  want  with 
me?" 

"  All  in  good  time,  my  friend.  You're  pretty  com- 
fortable here,  but  your  floor  needs  repairing  sadly — it 
looks  as  if  you've  been  digging.  You  must  be  very 
dull  all  alone.  Let  me  tell  you  a  story." 

"I  don't  want  to  hear  it" 

"I'm  desolated,  but  you  must.  The  business  upon 
which  I  desire  to  consult  you  depends  upon  it,  so  here 
goes.  Once  upon  a  time,  as  they  say  in  the  fairy 
tales,  there  was  a  young  man  who  was  turned  out  of 
England,  accused  of  a  felony  which  he  never  com- 
mitted. He  was  treated  very  badly  and,  being  a  youth 
of  spirit,  resented  it.  He  came  to  Chili,  where  he 
has  lived  for  the  past  fifteen  years.  Now,  strangely 
enough,  considering  it  has  done  everything  for  him,  he 
detests  Chili  and  the  people  with  whom  he  has  to 
associate,  and  he  wants  to  return  to  England,  where 
everybody  hates  him.  What  he  -would  do  if  he  got 
there  I  don't  know,  but  he  seems  to  think  he  might 
turn  over  a  new  leaf,  marry,  and  settle  down  to  a  quiet 
country  life.  Perhaps  he  would ;  perhaps  he  wouldn't 
— there's  no  telling;  at  any  rate,  that  has  been  his 
dream  for  fifteen  years.  You  ask,  and  very  naturally 
*oo,  if  he's  so  bitten  with  the  notion,  why  doesn't  he 


20  ESf   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

cairy  it  outt  And  I  reply,  with  an  equal  pretence 
to  nature,  because  he  can't  \  the  poor  fellow  has  no 
money.  Some  people  have  more  than  they  know  what 
to  do  vrlth —£250,000  for  instance — he  has  none  !" 

"  Who  are  you,  and  what  makes  you  tell  me  all  this  t 
Look  here,  if  you  don't  leave  me,  I'll " 

"  No,  you  won't/'  the  stranger  said,  drawing  a  revolver 
from  beneath  his  coat.  "  I  see  you've  got  a  Smith  and 
Wesson  in  that  pocket.  I'm  sorry,  but  I'll  just  have 
to  trouble  yon  for  it/1 

Thus  menaced,  Bradahaw  surrendered  his  pistol,  which 
the  other  coolly  oiamined,  and  deposited  in  tots  own 
pocket. 

"  As  I  was  going  to  say,  and  this  is  where  t  ht=,  curious 
part  of  my  story  commences,  that  young  man,  who, 
after  all,  is  not  a  bad  sort  of  fellow,  wants  to  give  up 
his  wild  unchristian  life  out  here,  and  get  home  to 
England.  Possibly  with  six  thousand  a  year  he  might 
become  a  credit  to  his  family.  It  is  his  only  chance  in 
life,  remember,  and  if  he  doesn't  want  to  go  under  for 
ever,  he  has  to  make  the  most  of  it.  Meanwhile  he 
has  not  been  idle.  To  assist  his  fortunes,  he  has  joined 
a  certain  Society,  whose  object  is  the  amassing  of  money, 
by  fair  means  or  foul,  and  which  is  perhaps  the  most 
powerful  organization  of  its  kind  in  the  wide,  wide 
world.  Now  pay  particular  attention  to  what  I  am 
about  to  say. 

"  News  reaches  this  Society  from  London  (their 
method  of  obtaining  information,  I  may  tell  you,  is 
little  short  of  marvelous)  that  a  certain  well-known 
banker  has  absconded  with  £250,000.  His  destination, 


WHERE  THE  MONEY  EEALLY  CAME  FROM.    21 

though  he  thinks  no  one  aware  of  it,  is  Buenos 
Ay  res.  On  arrival  in  that  port,  he  is  watched  con- 
tinually, and  on  two  occasions  attempts  are  made  to 
procure  his  money.  By  a  mischance  they  fail.  Sus- 
pecting something  of  the  sort,  he  crosses  the  mountains 
into  Valparaiso,  and  takes  a  house  in  the  Calle  de  San 
Pedro.  The  Society's  spies  have  followed  his  move- 
ments with  undeviating  attention ;  they  shadow  him 
day  and  night ;  they  even  take  the  houses  on  either 
hand  of  his  in  order  that  they  may  make  quite  sure  of 
his  safety.  One  night  they  will  descend  upon  that 
unfortunate  man  and — well,  I  leave  you  to  picture 
what  the  result  will  be ! " 

Bradshaw  said  not  a  word,  but  he  looked  as  if  he 
were  about  to  have  a  fit. 

"  Now,  look  here,  I'm  not  the  sort  of  man  to  rob  any 
one  without  giving  him  a  run  for  his  money.  You've 
had  your  turn,  and  you've  bungled  it.  Now  I  have 
mine,  and  I'm  going  to  carry  it  through.  I  see  my 
chance  to  a  straight  life  in  the  best  land  under  the  sun 
if  I  can  raise  the  money.  You've  robbed  the  fatherless 
and  the  widow  to  get  here ;  why  shouldn't  I  rob  you  to 
get  there  ?  You  can't  get  out  of  this  house  alive,  and 
if  you  remain  in  it  they'll  certainly  kill  you.  There's  a 
man  watching  you  on  the  right,  and  just  at  present  I'm 
supposed  to  be  looking  after  you  on  the  left.  If  you 
doubt  me,  go  out  into  the  street,  and  take  a  walk  round 
the  block  ;  before  you've  gone  fifty  yards  you'll  find 
you're  being  shadowed  by  a  man  in  a  grey  poncho.  It 
strikes  me  you're  between  the  devil  and  the  deep  sea 
What  do  you  think  ?  " 


22  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

Bradshaw  only  groaned  feebly.  His  pluck,  if  he  ever 
had  any,  had  quite  deserted  him.  His  visitor  took  a  pack 
of  cards  from  his  pocket,  and  threw  them  on  the  table. 

"  Do  you  know  what  I'm  going  to  do  ?  I'm  going  to 
sell  my  friends  ;  in  other  words,  I'm  going  to  do  business 
with  you  on  my  own  account.  It's  been  done  before  in 
the  history  of  the  world.  We'll  have  a  little  gamble. 
But  you  must  pull  yourself  together,  or  you  won't  be 
able  to  look  after  your  own  interests.  The  stakes  shall 
be  as  follows.  If  I  win,  I  take  the  lot,  the  whole 
£250,000,  or  what  there  is  left  of  it,  and  find  my  own 
way  to  get  it  out  of  the  house.  If  you  win,  I  pledge 
myself  solemnly  to  assist  you  to  escape  with  it.  You'll 
have  to  trust  me,  because  you  can't  do  anything  else. 
Do  you  understand  ?  Don't  make  a  noise,  or  I  assure 
you  I'll  shoot  you  where  you  sit.  There  shall  be  fair 
play  between  us,  come  what  may.  Now  cut !  The 
highest  wins,  remember  ! " 

"  I  can't !  I  refuse !  What  right  have  you  to  make 
such  a  demand  ?  " 

u  What  right  had  you  to  betray  your  trust  ?  Go  on. 
Fll  give  you  half  a  minute,  and  if  you  don't  cut  then, 
I  solemnly  swear  I'll  blow  your  brains  out !" 

"  Have  you  no  mercy  ?  " 

"Drop  that  and  cut  Ah!  you're  going  to, — that's 
right.  Show!" 

Trembling  like  a  leaf,  Bradshaw  turned  up  a  card. 

«  Queen  of  Hearts  I " 

"  A  splendid  cut  I  My  luck  will  have  to  be  good  to 
beat  it.  Great  Jove,  prosper  me,  you  alone  know  for 
what  a  stake  I'm  playing  I " 


WHERE   THE   MONEY  REALLY  CAME   FROM.       23 

"  King  of  Spades  I  n 

"  I'm  afraid,  Mr.  Bradshaw,  I've  won  by  a  point.  I'm 
sorry  it  turned  up  King  Death  though — doesn't  look  as 
if  I'm  destined  to  get  much  good  out  of  it,  does  it  ?  If 
I'd  lost,  I  should  certainly  have  shot  myself  before  day- 
break ;  as  it  is,  the  money's  mine.  I  suppose  you've 
buried  it  under  the  floor  here.  Bring  me  a  shovel  I " 

When  the  shovel  was  forthcoming,  Veneda,  for  so  we 
will,  with  your  permission,  henceforth  call  Marmaduke 
Plowden,  set  to  work,  and  in  ten  minutes  had  Bradshaw's 
treasure  unearthed.  Having  made  sure  of  it,  he  turned 
to  the  unfortunate  banker,  and  said — 

"  Now,  my  friend,  I  should  advise  you  to  make  your- 
self particularly  scarce.  For  if  they  find  you  here,  and 
the  money  gone,  they'll  probably  make  things  unplea- 
sant for  you.  As  for  me,  I've  got  to  find  a  way  to  get 
this  out  of  the  house,  and  then  out  of  the  country. 
Confound  the  man,  he's  fainted." 

«****• 

That  Veneda  did  manage  to  smuggle  the  money  out 
of  the  house  without  attracting  the  attention  of  the 
watchers  on  the  other  side  is  evident  from  a  letter 
written  the  next  night  (a  copy  of  which  we  have  already 
seen),  and  which,  we  know,  left  Chili  by  an  English 
man-of-war.  That  a  case  of  specie  followed  it  a  week 
later,  and  duly  arrived  in  London,  I  have  also  ascer- 
tained by  perusal  of  a  certain  Steamship  Company's 
books. 

It  only  remained  now  for  Veneda  to  follow  it  himself, 
and  this  he  was  making  arrangements  to  do.  He  was, 
however,  compelled  to  exercise  the  greatest  caution,  for 


24  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

he  was  quite  aware  that  the  Society  (whose  namt  had 
so  much  frightened  Bradshaw),  of  which  he  was  one  of 
the  executive,  did  not  regard  him  with  any  extra- 
ordinary trust;  and  to  leave  the  country  suddenly  by 
one  of  the  usual  routes  would,  in  all  probability,  result 
in  his  being  met  and  knifed  on  arrival  at  his  destination. 
This  risk  he  had  not  the  least  desire  to  run. 

As  for  Bradshaw,  that  unfortunate  man,  he  was  indeed 
in  parlous  case,  so  much  so,  that  he  dared  not  venture 
out  lest  he  might  be  assassinated,  while  he  dared  not 
remain  where  he  was  for  fear  he  might  be  murdered ; 
he  was  in  fact  destitute  of  everything,  even  of  the 
consolation  of  that  time-worn  maxim,  "  Virtue  is  its 
own  reward." 


CHAPTER  H 

A   STRANGE  NIGHT. 

TTJST  a  week,  night  for  night,  after  the  events  recorded 
in  the  previous  chapter,  Marcos  Veneda  was  making 
his  way  slowly  along  the  Sea-Front,  towards  a  distant 
portion  of  the  city.  The  short  winter  day,  made  all  the 
shorter  by  a  thick  pall  of  cloud  stretched  across  the  sky, 
was  fast  drawing  to  a  close.  Far  out  beyond  the  harbour 
a  faint  streak  of  silver  light  still  lingered,  as  if  loth  to  say 
farewell ;  but  nearer  the  wharves  the  water  lay  black 
and  sullen  like  the  mantle  of  approaching  night.  In 
the  streets,  though  the  hour  still  wanted  twenty  minutes 
of  six,  but  few  people  were  abroad ;  for  such  was  the 
lawless  condition  of  Valparaiso  at  that  time,  that  walk- 
ing after  nightfall  had  become  not  only  an  unplea- 
sant, but  in  many  districts  an  exceedingly  dangerous 
undertaking. 

But  though,  after  he  had  proceeded  a  little  way, 
ATarcos  Veneda  stopped  abruptly  in  his  walk  and  stood 
for  some  moments  gazing  out  to  sea,  there  was  nothing 
in  his  face  to  show  that  he  was  in  any  way  conscious  of 
either  the  atmospheric  effects  or  the  personal  danger  to 
which  I  have  just  alluded.  It  might  rather  have  been 


26  IN    STRANGE    COMPAJSY. 

inferred,  from  the  frown  that  contracted  his  forehead 
and  the  expression  which  fixed  itself  round  his  mouth, 
that  his  thoughts  were  very  far  removed  from  any  such 
minor  matters.  Certain  was  it  that  he  was  more  than 
a  little  disturbed  in  his  mind,  and  it  was  equally  prob- 
able that,  so  far  as  he  saw  at  present,  he  was  no  nearer 
a  solution  of  his  problem  than  he  had  been  at  any  time 
during  the  previous  twenty-four  hours.  Twice  since  he 
had  come  to  a  standstill  his  lips  had  moved  in  com- 
mencement of  a  sentence,  and  twice  he  had  dug  his 
stick  impatiently  into  the  ground  before  him,  but  the 
frown  did  not  relax  nor  the  expression  change.  The 
truth  was  he  found  himself  in  a  very  awkward  predica- 
ment, one  which  will  readily  explain  itself  when  I  say 
that  he  had  been  summoned  to,  and  was  on  his  way  to 
attend,  a  council  meeting  of  the  Society,  to  confer  as 
to  ike  lest  means  of  obtaining  possession  of  Bradsha'u?& 
treasure.  As  he  walked  he  was  trying  to  arrange  his 
course  of  action,  for  he  was  the  victim  ol  a  natural 
delicacy,  which  he  knew  would  prevent  him  from 
informing  his  colleagues  of  the  fact  that  he  had  already 
appropriated  and  disposed  of  the  money. 

Presently,  however,  he  seemed  to  have  decided  upon 
some  course,  for  he  pulled  himself  together,  adjusted 
his  hat,  which  had  slipped  somewhat  out  of  its  usual 
position,  and  resumed  his  walk  with  the  air  of  a  man 
who  had  only  made  up  his  mind  after  mature  consider- 
ation. Just  as  he  did  so  the  clouds  opened  their  store, 
and  a  heavy  shower  descended. 

While  he  is  passing  along  the  Front,  perhaps  we  may 
be  3xcused  if  we  seek  to  become  better  acquainted  with 


A   STRANGE   NIGHT.  27 

one  in  whose  company  we  are  destined  to  travel  many 
thousands  of  miles. 

He  is  indeed  a  strange  man,  this  Marcos  Veneda,  a 
man  of  such  perplexing  mixtures   that   I  doubt  very 
much  whether  his  most  intimate  friend  could,  under 
any  circumstances,  properly  describe  him.     Gifted  by 
nature  with  such  advantages,  both  personal  and  other- 
wise, as  but  seldom  fall  to  the  share  of  one  man,  it 
seemed  the  irony  of  Fate  that  he  should  be  debarred 
from  deriving  the  slightest  real  or  lasting  benefit  from 
any  one  of  them.   Hated  with  a  cordial  and  undisguised 
hatred  by  the  Chilanos  themselves,  and  barely  tolerated 
by  the  English  section  of  the  community,  he  supported 
an  existence  in  Chili  that  was  as  unique  as  his  own 
individuality  was  complex  and  extraordinary.     To  any 
one  more  sensitive  such  a  life  would  have  been  un- 
endurable, but    Marcos  Veneda   seemed   to  derive   a 
positive  enjoyment  from  his  social  ostracism,  and  to 
become  more  and  more  satisfied  with  his  lot  in  life  as 
the  gulf  which  cut  him  off  from  his  neighbours  widened. 
Among  other  things,  it  was  characteristic  of  the  man 
that  he   treated  every  one,  high   and   low,  alike;    he 
unbent  to  nobody ;  but  if  it  could  be  said  that  he  was 
more  amiably  disposed  towards  one  class  than  another, 
it  was  to  those  who  would  be  the  least  likely  ever  to 
repay  his  cordiality.     How  he  lived — for  he  practised 
no   profession,   and   he    certainly  served   no   trade   or 
master — no  one  knew ;  he  made  it  a  boast  that  he  had 
never  received  a  remittance  from  the  outside  world,  and 
yet  he  was  well  known  to  have  no  income  of  his  own. 
On  the  other  hand,  though  he  owed  nobody  anything, 


28  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

he  had  always  money  to  spend,  while  those  who  had 
been  privileged  to  see,  reported  that  he  occupied  quarters 
in  a  semi-fashionable  portion  of  the  town  that  were 
very  far  removed  from  poverty-stricken. 

Like  most  other  people  in  Chili,  in  the  year  1891,  he 
had  been  drawn  into  the  bitter  civil  war  then  proceed- 
ing, and  he  knew,  if  only  on  the  score  of  party  politics, 
the  next  twenty-four  hours  would  decide  much  for  him. 

And  not  to  Yeneda  alone,  but  to  many  other  un 
fortunates  compelled  to  remain  in  Valparaiso  that  night, 
was  the  question  which  the  morrow  would  determine,  of 
vital  moment.  The  fierce  struggle  which  for  the  better 
part  of  a  year  had  been  raging  between  the  forces  of 
the  Dictator  Balmaceda  and  those  of  the  Opposition  or 
Congressional ist  Party,  as  they  were  more  usually  called, 
had  at  length  reached  such  a  pitch  that  it  required  but 
one  more  vigorous  battle  to  find  a  termination. 

From  being  spread  over  the  land,  the  two  opposing 
armies  were  now  come  face  to  face.  The  previous  week 
had  proved  a  deeply  exciting  one.  Events  had  crowded 
thick  and  fast  upon  each  other,  beginning  with  the 
battle  of  Colmo ;  when,  after  a  stubborn,  hard-fought 
engagement,  lasting  something  like  five  hours,  the 
Opposition  had  gained  a  well-earned  victory.  Balma- 
eeda's  army  had  marched  into  battle  14,000  strong,  and 
had  been  obliged  to  beat  a  retreat,  having  lost,  besides 
1000  men  killed  and  many  more  than  that  number 
wounded,  18  field-guns,  and  170  mules  laden  with 
stores  and  ammunition.  So  signal  was  the  disaster 
that,  on  realizing  it,  no  less  than  1500  men  of  the 
Government  forces  threw  down  their  arms  and  fled  into 


A   STRANGE   NIGHT.  29 

the  mountains,  while  twice  that  number  changed  their 
uniforms  and  went  over  holus  loins  to  the  enemy. 

Immediately  this  crushing  news  became  known  to 
him,  Balmaceda  reinforced  the  garrison  of  Valparaiso 
with  troops  from  the  south,  and  then,  with  an  army  of 
8000  men,  perched  himself  on  the  heights  above  the 
city,  and  prepared  to  fight  the  last  and  decisive  battle 
of  the  campaign. 

In  Valparaiso  the  result  of  the  impending  engage- 
ment was,  as  may  be  imagined,  anxiously  awaited  by 
every  one,  Gobiernistas  and  Oppositores  alike.  The 
former  made  no  secret  of  their  intention,  in  the  event 
of  victory  crowning  their  arms,  to  wreak  vengeance 
upon  their  enemies.  But  the  Oppositores,  on  the  other 
hand,  though  equally  sanguine  of  success,  wisely 
refrained  from  giving  vent  to  their  feelings,  for  not  only 
were  they  located  in  the  enemy's  camp,  so  to  speak,  but 
they  could  not  help  foreseeing  that  even  a  victory  for 
their  cause  would  involve  them  in  great  risk,  inasmuch 
as  the  Government  troops  would  undoubtedly  fall  back 
upon  the  town,  when  they  would  in  all  probability 
commence  to  sack  and  burn  Opposition  property. 

Such  was  the  position  of  affairs  on  the  evening  de- 
scribed at  the  commencement  of  the  chapter. 

As  I  have  said,  Marcos  Veneda  appeared  to  have  made 
up  his  mind.  This  might  have  been  gathered  from  the 
set  of  his  shoulders  and  his  carriage  of  his  body  when 
he  resumed  his  walk.  There  was  also  a  new  and 
singularly  defiant  look  in  his  face  as  he  pa,ssed  into 
the  Calle  de  Victoria  which  had  not  been  there  five 
minutes  before. 


30  IN   STKANGE   COMPANY. 

Half-way  down  the  street  he  paused  to  try  and 
decipher  a  notice  newly  pasted  on  a  wall.  As  he  read, 
be  became  conscious  that  he  was  being  watched. 
Looking  up,  he  found  himself  confronted  by  one  of  the 
most  respected  English  residents  then  remaining  in  the 
town.  This  gentleman,  whose  personal  appearance 
would  not  have  been  out  of  place  in  a  London  board- 
room, had  always  shown  himself  one  of  Veueda's  most 
inveterate  foes,  and  for  this  reason  the  latter  was  in- 
clined to  cross  over  the  road  without  a  second  glance  at 
him.  That,  however,  the  elder  man  would  not  permit ; 
he  advanced  and  button-holed  his  victim  before  he  had 
time  to  leave  the  pavement. 

"  I  think  you  are  going  in  my  direction,"  he  began, 
in  order  to  give  Veneda  time  to  recover  from  his 
astonishment.  "  In  that  case  I  shall  not  be  trespassing 
upon  your  time  if  I  ask  you  to  allow  me  to  walk  a 
little  way  with  you.  I  have  something  I  want  to  say 
to  you." 

"  I  object  to  being  button-holed  in  this  fashion,"  the 
other  replied,  an  angry  flush  mantling  his  face. 

"  Not  when  it  is  to  enable  you  to  learn  something  to 
your  advantage,  I  think/'  his  companion  said  quietly. 
"  However,  don't  let  us  quarrel,  I  simply  stopped  you 
because  I  want  to  do  you  a  good  turn.  I  know  very 
well  you  dislike  me." 

"  It  may  be  bad  policy  to  say  so,"  Veneda  sneered, 
"  but  I  must  own  I  do  not  exactly  love  you ;  you  see, 
you  have  never  given  me  an  opportunity." 

"  Well,  we  won't  discuss  that  now.  What  I  want  to 
Bay  is,  that  I  think  in  times  like  these  we  Englishmen 


A   STRANGE   NIGHT.  31 

ought  to  hang  a  bit  closer  together,  don't  you  know ;  to 
try  and  help  each  other  in  any  way  we  can." 

The  old  gentleman,  whose  intentions  were  really 
most  benevolent,  gazed  anxiously  at  his  companion,  to 
see  how  his  speech  would  be  taken.  But  Veneda's 
only  answer  was  to  laugh  in  a  peculiarly  grating  fashion. 
It  was  an  unpleasant  performance,  born  of  the  remem- 
brance of  snubs  and  bitter  discouragements  received 
at  the  other's  hands  in  by-gone  days.  For  the  space 
of  thirty  seconds  neither  spoke,  and  then  it  was  the 
younger  man,  who  said  abruptly — 

"  Well  ? " 

"  You  don't  mind  my  going  on  ?  * 

"  I  certainly  should  if  I  could  prevent  it,"  replied 
Veneda ;  "  but  you've  got  me  at  a  disadvantage,  you  see. 
T  must  listen  to  you." 

"  Well,  the  long  and  the  short  of  it  is,  I  want  to  warn 
you." 

"That's  exceedingly  good  of  you;  and  pray  what 
of?" 

"  Of  yourself.  It  is — forgive  my  saying  so — an  openly 
discussed  subject  in  the  town  that  you  are  playing  a 
double  game." 

Veneda  stopped  suddenly,  and  leaning  his  back 
against  a  wall,  faced  his  companion. 

"  A  double  game,"  he  said  slowly,  as  if  weighing  every 
word  before  he  allowed  himself  to  utter  it ;  "  and  in 
what  way  is  it  supposed  that  I  am  playing  a  double 
game  ?  Think  carefully  before  you  speak,  for  I  may  be 
compelled  to  hold  you  responsible." 

The  worthy   merchant   experienced    a  sensation  of 


32  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY 

nervousness.  His  memory  recalled  several  little 
episodes  in  Veneda's  past,  the  remembrance  of  which, 
under  the  present  circumstances,  was  not  likely  to 
contribute  to  his  peace  of  mind. 

"  Now  don't  get  angry,  my  dear  fellow,"  he  hastened 
to  say,  "  I'm  only  telling  you  this  for  your  own  good.  I 
mean  that  it  is  said  you  are  endeavouring  to  stand  with 
a  leg  in  either  camp;  that  while  you  pose  among  us 
as  an  active  Oppositionist,  you  are  in  reality  in  com- 
munication with  Balmaceda's  leaders.  In  other  words, 
that,  while  we  have  been  trusting  you,  you  have  been 
selling  our  secrets  to  our  foes." 

"Well?" 

Now  it  was  a  remarkable  fact,  that  while  the  old 
gentleman  expected  and  even  dreaded  an  exhibition  of 
wrath  from  his  companion,  he  was  in  reality  a  good 
deal  more  frightened  by  this  simple  question  than  he 
would  have  been  by  the  most  violent  outburst.  And 
yet  there  was  nothing  startling  in  the  word  itself,  nor 
in  the  manner  in  which  it  was  uttered.  Veneda  still 
lounged  in  the  same  careless  attitude  against  the  wall, 
looking  his  companion  up  and  down  out  of  his  half- 
closed  eyes,  as  if  to  cause  him  any  uneasiness  would  be 
the  one  thing  furthest  from  his  mind ;  but  it  was  notice- 
able that  his  right  hand  had  stopped  fingering  the 
trinkets  on  his  watch-chain,  and  had  passed  into  his 
coat-pocket,  where  a  certain  bulginess  proclaimed  the 
existence  of  a  heavy  object. 

"  Go  on,"  he  continued  slowly,  "  since  you  seem  to  be 
so  well  informed  ;  what  else  do  my  kind  friends  say  ? " 

"  Well,  if  you  want  it  bluntly,  Veneda,  they  say  that 


A   STRANGE   NIGHT.  33 

if  our  side  wins  to-morrow,  of  which  there  seems  to  be 
little  or  no  doubt,  and  you  remain  in  the  city,  your  life 
won't  be  worth  five  minutes'  purchase." 

"  And — and  your  reason  for  telling  me  all  this  ?f> 

"Simply  because  I  want  to  warn  you.  And  because, 
in  spite  of  your  Spanish  name,  which  every  one  knows 
is  assumed,  you  are  an  Englishman  ;  and,  as  I  said 
before,  Englishmen  ought  to  do  what  they  can  to  help 
each  other  at  such  times  as  these.  You  don't  think 
I've  said  too  much?" 

"  By  no  means.  I  hope  you'll  understand  how  grate- 
ful I  am  to  you  for  your  trouble." 

*'  No  trouble ;  I  only  wish  the  warning  may  prove  of 
some  use  to  you.  Look  here,  we  haven't  been  very 
good  friends  in  the  past,  but  I  do  hope " 

"  That  in  the  future  we  may  be  David  and  Jonathan 
on  a  substantial  New  Jerusalem  basis,  I  suppose.  Do 
you  hear  those  guns  ?  " 

The  noise  of  cannonading  came  down  the  breeze. 
And  as  he  heard  it  the  merchant  shuffled  uneasily. 

"  What  does  it  mean  ? " 

"  Well,  I  think  it  means  that  to-morrow  will  decide 
things  more  important  than  our  friendship.  That's  all 
You're  not  coming  any  farther  my  way  ?  Then  good- 
night!" 

With  a  muttered  apology  for  having  so  long  detained 
him,  the  old  gentleman  continued  his  walk  to  the  left 
hand.  When  he  had  quite  disappeared,  Yeneda  re- 
sumed his  walk,  saying  softly  to  himself,  "  This  is  what 
comes  of  listening  to  the  voice  of  woman.  I  was  an 
idiot  ever  to  have  mixed  myself  up  with  Juanita.  I 


34  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

might  have  known  she  would  have  given  me  away 
Never  mind,  the  money's  gone  to  England,  and  if  1 
can  manage  to  stave  Macklin  off  to-night,  and  Boulgei 
comes  to  terms  about  his  schooner,  I  shall  beat  them 
yet  But  suppose  Juanita  should  suspect?  What  on 
earth  should  I  do  then  ?  " 

This  thought  was  evidently  of  an  absorbing  nature, 
for  he  walked  briskly  on,  regarding  no  one,  and  turning 
neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left,  until  he  had 
gone  about  three  hundred  yards.  Then  finding  himseli 
face  to  face  with  a  tall  and  narrow  archway,  guarded  by 
a  substantial  iron  gate,  he  paused  irresolute.  To  all 
appearance  he  was  endeavouring  to  make  up  his  mind 
whether  he  should  enter.  Having  decided  in  the 
affirmative,  ho  knocked  upon  the  iron-work  of  the  gate. 
It  was  immediately  opened,  and  an  old  man  holding  a 
lantern  looked  out,  crying  as  he  did  so — 

"  Quie"n  est<$  ahf  ?  "    ["  Who  is  there  ?  "] 

Submitting  his  name,  after  a  brief  scrutiny  he  was 
admitted  into  the  patio,  or  courtyard  of  the  building, 
of  which  the  gate  formed  the  outer  guard.  The  wet 
stones  (for  it  was  still  raining),  the  dripping  gutters,  and 
the  weird  moaning  of  the  wind  round  the  corners  and 
between  the  housetops,  did  not  add  to  the  cheerfulness 
of  the  place. 

Half-way  across  the  patio  Veneda  turned  to  his  guide. 

"  Hold  on,  Domingo,"  he  said,  "  in  these  matters  it  is 
just  as  well  to  be  prepared.  Whom  have  we  here  to- 
night?" 

"Pablos  Vargas,  Jos4  Nunez,  and  the  Englishman, 
John  Macklin,  senou ' 


A   STRANGK    BKJHT.  35 

"  All  three  ?     Very  good.     Go  on  !  * 

They  approached  a  small  door  in  the  wall  on  the  left 
hand  of  the  courtyard;  between  its  chinks  a  bright 
light  streaked  forth.  A  subdued  murmur  came  from 
within,  which  was  hushed  as  if  by  magic  when  the  old 
man  rapped  upon  the  panel.  Next  moment  Veneda 
was  inside  the  room,  endeavouring  to  accustom  his  eyes 
to  the  bright  light  of  a  common  tin  lamp  hanging  upon 
the  wall. 

It  was  but  a  small  apartment,  destitute  of  any 
furniture  save  a  rough  table  and  a  chair  or  two,  and 
filthy  to  an  indescribable  degree.  The  three  men,  for 
whose  presence  Veneda  had  been  prepared,  were 
evidently  awaiting  his  coming.  It  was  doubtful,  how- 
ever, judging  from  their  expressions,  whether  they  were 
pleased  or  annoyed  at  his  punctual  appearance.  Though 
the  heads  of  that  mysterious  organization  which  had 
so  much  frightened  Bradshaw,  with  one  exception  they 
were  not  interesting.  Pablos  Vargas  and  Jose"  Nunez 
were  simply  Chilanos  of  the  middle  class,  but  the 
Englishman,  John  Macklin,  was  altogether  extraordinary. 

Besides  being  in  many  other  ways  peculiar,  he  was 
an  Albino  of  the  most  pronounced  type,  possessed  of 
the  smallest  body  and  the  largest  head  imaginable  in  a 
human  being ;  his  arms  were  those  of  a  baboon,  so  long 
that  his  fingers,  when  he  stood  upright,  could  touch  his 
legs  below  his  knees.  His  complexion  was  as  delicate 
as  the  inside  of  a  rosebud,  his  eyes  were  as  pink  as  those 
of  a  white  rabbit,  while  his  hair  was  nothing  more  nor 
less  than  a  mop  of  silkiest  white  floss.  Added  to  these 
peculiarities,  his  voice  was  a  strangely  high  falsetto,  and 


36  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

when  he  became  excited,  he  had  a  habit  of  cracking  his 
finger-joints  one  after  the  other,  a  thing  which  in  itself 
is  apt  to  be  a  disconcerting  trick. 

His  history,  so  far  as  could  be  gathered,  was  an 
eventful  one,  and  would  repay  perusal.  By  his  own 
statement  he  was  a  native  of  Exeter,  England,  in 
which  city  his  father  had  at  one  time  conducted  a 
school  for  the  sons  of  small  tradesmen.  At  the  age  of 
ten,  young  Macklin  became  a  choir  boy  in  the  Cathedral, 
but  his  personal  appearance  and  moral  character  proving 
too  much  for  his  fellow-choristers,  after  a  month  some 
charge  was  preferred  against  him,  and  he  was  dismissed 
with  ignominy.  This  circumstance,  very  naturally,  was 
hardly  of  a  kind  calculated  to  straighten  his  already 
warped  nature,  and  then  and  there,  with  a  precocity 
beyond  his  years,  he  embarked  upon  a  war  against 
society,  which,  as  I  shall  endeavour  to  prove  later,  had 
suffered  no  diminution  when  our  history  opens. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  became  a  lawyer's  clerk 
in  Bristol,  following  this  vocation  until  his  majority 
from  which  time  until  his  thirtieth  birthday  nothing 
definite  can  be  learnt  of  him.  It  is  believed,  however, 
that  for  the  greater  part  of  that  period  he  served  a 
sentence  in  one  of  her  Majesty's  convict  prisons  for 
fraud ;  and  a  semblance  of  truth  is  lent  to  the  belief  by 
the  knowledge  that  directly  he  re-appeared  in  society 
he  took  ship  for  America. 

The  record  of  his  doings  across  the  Atlantic  would 
form  interesting  reading,  if  only  for  its  variety.  For 
three  years,  from  thirty  to  thirty -three,  he  followed 
many  professions,  including  those  of  railway  scalper, 


A   STRANGE   NIGHT.  37 

book  fiend,  and  insurance  tout,  eventually  figuring  ag 
<*  The  Wild  Man  of  New  Guinea  "  in  a  dime  museum  ID 
San  Francisco,  eating  raw  meat  in  a  cage,  and  growling 
at  the  public  from  behind  substantial  iron  bars.  When 
this  latter  enterprise  panned  out  unsatisfactorily,  it  left 
him  no  alternative  but  to  migrate  into  Mexico,  where 
he  supported  a  chequered  career  as  a  money-lender,  a 
lottery  runner,  keeper  of  a  Monte  hell,  and  suspected 
leader  of  a  gang  of  most  notorious  thieves.  Mexico  no 
longer  affording  sufficient  scope  for  his  peculiar  talents, 
he  repaired  to  Brazil,  thence  drifting  by  easy  stages 
into  Chili,  where,  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution,  he  had 
embarked  on  this  new  and  exceedingly  remunerative 
line  of  business. 

Veneda  looked  from  one  to  the  other  before  he  spoke, 
but  his  eyes  rested  longest  on  the  face  of  the  Albino 
and  it  was  to  him  he  addressed  his  opening  salutation 
It  was  a  part  of  his  policy  to  ignore  Vargas  and  Nunez, 
as  if  they  did  not  exist. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  by  way  of  introduction,  "  gentle- 
men of  the  Executive,  you're  annoying,  to  say  the 
least  of  it  What  may  be  the  reason  of  this  un- 
expected meeting?  I  had  more  important  business 
lo~night." 

"  You  always  seem  to "  Nunez  commenced. 

"  Be  silent/'  sneered  the  Albino,  with  truculent 
courtesy,  "you're  wasting  the  honourable  gentleman's 
time.  Can't  you  see  he's  in  a  hurry  to  attend  the 
Council  of  the  President  ?  Ho !  ho  !  Senor  Veneda, 
yuu  can't  bluff  me,  so  don't  attempt  it." 

"  Who  wants  to  bluff  you  ?  "  said  Veneda.    "  Don't  be 


38  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

a  fool,  Macklin.  Tell  me  why  this  meeting  has  been 
called." 

"  Because  there  is  a  lot  of  important  business  to  be 
got  through,  and  by  reason  of  the  disturbances  we  may 
not  be  able  to  hold  another  for  a  week  or  two." 

Veneda  seated  himself,  and  the  meeting  commenced. 

"  In  the  first  place,"  said  the  Albino,  who  acted  as 
chairman,  "there  is  some  important  correspondence 
from  the  branches  to  be  considered.  I  have  here  a 
letter  from  London,  informing  us  that  on  the  13th 
May,  Emanuel  Bendalack,  secretary  of  a  well-known 
Building  Society,  absconded  from  England  with  £18,000. 
He  left  in  the  steamer  Royal  Sceptre,  bound  for  Cape 
Town ;  he  is  disguised  as  a  Wesleyan  missionary,  and 
booked  his  passage  in  the  name  of  Blander.  If  you  will 
allow  me  to  make  a  suggestion,  I  would  advise  that  oui 
agents  in  South  Africa  be  directed  to  meet  Mr.  Blander 
on  his  arrival,  and  that  the  Greek,  Manolake,  be  de- 
spatched from  here  as  soon  as  possible  to  attend  to  the 
affair.  Does  that  meet  with  your  approval  ?  " 

Assent  having  been  given,  the  Albino  made  an  entry 
in  a  book,  and  took  up  another  letter. 

u  This  is  a  communication  from  Buda-Pesth.  It  is 
to  the  effect  that  the  well-known  merchant,  Julius 
Karlinska,  left  that  city  on  the  6th  June,  taking  with 
him  a  sum  equivalent  to  £22,000,  the  property  of  his 
creditors.  He  is  believed  to  be  making  for  Australia, 
and  has  been  traced  as  far  as  Port  Said.  Photograph 
enclosed.  What  do  you  desire  regarding  Herr 
Karlinska?" 

Nunez  was  the  first  to  offer  a  suggestion 


A   STRANGE   NIGHT.  39 

"  I  would  advise  communicating  with  our  agent  in 
Melbourne,  and  sending  some  one  at  once  to  take  over 
the  affair." 

"  Who  is  at  liberty  just  now?"  asked  Veneda. 

"  Emil  Valdor,  Shivaloff,  and  Maunders  of  the 
men,  that  is  if  Manolake  goes  to  Cape  Town;  Marie 
Darnee  and  Juanita  Valdores  of  the  women." 

"Juanita?     The  very  person;  despatch  her!" 

"  Impossible !     She  is  wanted  here." 

Veneda  gave  a  little  sigh  of  disappointment. 

"  Where  is  the  Italian,  Automa  ?"  asked  Nunez. 

"  In  New  York,  shadowing  Qifford  Blake-Ganon, 
who  is  expected  to  bolt  at  any  moment,"  answered 
Macklin. 

"  Then  send  the  Darnee,"  urged  Vargas ;  "  she  will 
find  him  and  do  the  business  better  than  any." 

"  Is  that  your  wish,  senors  ?"  the  chairman  asked. 

They  signified  that  it  was. 

"  Very  good,  then  the  Darnee  goes.  And  now  we 
come  to  another  matter,  one  nearer  home." 

Veneda  gave  a  start,  so  small  that  it  was  unnoticed 
save  by  the  Albino. 

"What  matter?" 

The  dwarf  cast  a  look  at  him  full  of  withering 
contempt. 

"  Now,  see  you,"  he  said  angrily,  "  it's  not  a  bit  of 
good  your  coming  here  and  trying  to  make  me  be- 
lieve that  you  want  the  whole  story  overhauled  again. 
You  know  very  well  what  I  mean." 

"  That  poor  hunted  devil  of  an  English  banker  in 
the  Calle  de  San  Pedro,  I  suppose?" 


40  LN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"  You  suppose  !  Look  here,  Marcos  Veneda,  what 
the  devil's  the  use  of  your  wasting  our  time  playing 
possum  like  that  ? ' 

"  How  was  I  to  know  to  what  you  alluded  ?  we've  so 
many  irons  in  the  fire.  But  since  we  are  on  that  sub- 
ject, Macklin,  I've  got  something  to  say  about  it.  Don't 
you  think  we  might  give  the  poor  cur  a  run  for  his 
miserable  life  ?  From  all  accounts  he's  pretty  well 
frightened  out  of  his  senses  already  ! " 

The  Albino,  Vargas,  and  Nunez  stared  with  astonish 
ment ;  in  all  their  experience  of  him,  they  had  never 
known  Marcos  Veneda  behave  like  this  before.     The 
Albino  laughed  suspiciously. 

"  I  wonder  what  your  little  game  is,  my  friend,"  he 
said.  "  This  is  a  new  line  for  you.  Want  us  to  spare 
him,  do  you  ?  Very  pretty,  I'm  sure ;  would  look  well 
in  a  tract,  wouldn't  it,  with  a  devil  dodger's  head  on 
the  frontispiece  ! " 

"  Stow  that,  Macklin  ;  I  only  want  fair  play  for  the 
wretch/' 

"  Fair  play,  is  it  ?  Oh,  I  promise  you  he  shall  have 
dead  loads  of  that." 

The  Albino  laughed  uproariously  at  his  own  vile 
joke.  He  was  joined  by  Vargas  and  Nunez. 

Veneda's  face  grew  black  as  thunder. 

"That's  enough,"  he  said,  with  a  sudden  outburst  of 
passion.  "  Stop  that !  I'll  not  be  laughed  at  by  a 
set  of  greasy  scattermouches  like  you." 

The  merriment  ceased  abruptly,  and  the  Albino  took 
the  opportunity  of  re-commencing  business. 

"To-morrow,    whichever    way    the    fighting    goes. 


A   STRANGE   NIGHT.  41 

there'll  be  rioting  and  sacking  of  houses.     That's  our 
opportunity." 

"And  who  is  to  do  the  work?" 

"  We  will  decide  that  by  lot." 

"  But  how  do  you  know  that  he  hasn't  taken  flight, 
or  that  the  information  hasn't  leaked  out,  and  the  cache 
been  rifled  already?" 

"  Because,  my  friend,  as  you're  perfectly  aware,  the 
house  has  been  watched  day  and  night  ever  since  he 
sneaked  into  the  town.  No,  no,  don't  be  afraid,  we 
have  taken  very  good  care  of  ourselves;  nobody  has 
come  out,  not  even  the  old  mole  himself ;  and  certainly 
no  one  has  gone  in.  You  needn't  be  alarmed,  the 
money  is  safe  enough.  He  would  be  a  clever  and 
courageous  man  who  managed  to  play  false  with  us." 

Veneda  breathed  again.  It  had  been  an  anxious 
moment ;  but  he  flattered  himself  he  had  not  betrayed 
his  uneasiness,  while  at  the  same  time  he  had  learnt  all 
he  wanted  to  know.  The  questions  he  was  about  to 
ask  were  only  intended  to  disarm  any  suspicions  his 
manner  might  have  aroused. 

"  And  after  the  money  is  our  property  ?" 

"  It  will  be  divided  here,  on  the  capstan-head,  so  to 
speak;  and  when  each  man  has  received  his  share,  he 
can  up  stakes,  and  go  to  the  devil  with  it  his  own 
way." 

"  And  how  much  do  you  say  it  will  amount  to  ? 
Remember  the  old  man's  had  a  good  slice  out  of  it 
himself." 

"  Lord  grant  me  patience !  How  many  more  ques- 
tions do  you  want  to  ask?  Why,  as  near  as  we  can 


42  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

fix    it,    Two    Hundred    and    Twenty-five    Thousand 
Pounds;  isn't  it  enough  for  you?" 

"  Pretty  near/'  Veneda  answered,  with  a  laugh ; 
"  and  now,  if  you've  got  anything  else  to  do,  let's  get 
to  it  at  once.  I've  business  down  town." 

At  a  signal  from  Albino,  Vargas  placed  dice  upon 
the  table,  and  the  gamble  commenced.  Luck  was  with 
Veneda,  for  finally  Vargas  and  the  Albino  were  elected 
to  carry  out  the  robbery.  When  that  point  had  been 
decided,  the  hour  for  meeting  on  the  following  night, 
and  a  few  other  minor  matters  arranged,  Veneda 
wished  them  a  sneering  "  good  luck  "  of  their  work, 
and  started  homewards  as  fast  as  his  legs  would  carry 
him.  As  he  went  he  laughed  softly  to  himself,  as  one 
who  enjoys  a  joke  of  extraordinary  humour.  He  was 
decidedly  in  better  spirits  than  when  we  accompanied 
him  to  the  house.  He  even  forgot  himself  so  far  as  to 
whistle. 

Considering  the  state  of  Valparaiso  at  the  time,  and 
the  fact  that  there  was  no  protective  power  at  hand  to 
quell  disturbances,  the  city  was  wonderfully  quiet.  A 
great  anxiety  was  upon  everybody,  a  disquiet  that  was 
not  at  all  attuned  to  noise. 

Veneda  strode  briskly  along,  occupied  with  his  own 
thoughts.  But  strange  though  it  may  seem,  he  was 
not  thinking  of  the  scene  he  had  just  left,  nor  of  the 
impending  battle  of  the  morrow;  he  was  recalling  a 
certain  box  and  letter  he  had  despatched  to  a  London 
merchant  a  week  previous,  and  reflecting  that  by  the 
time  the  Society  could  discover  his  treachery,  he  would 
in  all  probability  be  on  the  high  seas,  far  beyond  the 


A  STRANGE   NIGHT.  43 

reach  of  vengeance  or  defeat.  There  was  only  one 
thing ;  at  any  risk  he  must  prevent  the  woman  Juanita 
from  suspecting  his  intentions. 

So  absorbed  was  he  in  his  thoughts,  that  he  had 
arrived  at  his  house,  let  himself  in,  and  ascended  the 
stairs  to  his  own  peculiar  sanctum  before  he  was  really 
conscious  that  he  had  done  so.  The  staircase  and  the 
room  were  in  total  darkness.  He  crossed  to  a  bracket 
where  matches  were  usually  kept,  and  striking  one, 
turned  to  light  a  candle  close  at  hand.  As  the  flame 
caught,  a  low,  musical  laugh,  distinctly  feminine,  greeted 
his  ears.  His  nerves  must  have  been  overstrung,  for 
he  started  violently,  and  came  within  an  ace  of  drop- 
ping both  candle-stick  and  match.  Holding  the  light 
aloft,  he  glanced  in  the  direction  whence  the  sound 
proceeded.  The  room  was  big  enough  to  contain  many 
shadows,  and  the  candle  did  not  give  a  very  good 
light, 

"Juanita?" 

"  Yes,  Juanita  certainly ;  are  you  so  surprised  lo  see 
me?" 

He  paused  to  light  two  other  candles  before  replying. 
His  visitor  did  not  fail  to  notice  the  trembling  of  his 
hand.  Then  the  room  being  illuminated  to  his  satisfac- 
tion, and  the  door  carefully  closed,  he  remembered  his 
duty  as  host,  and  bade  her  welcome  in  proper  form. 
When  she  heard  him  say  that  he  was  glad  to  see  her, 
she  laughed  very  softly,  and  said — 

a  Marcos,  I  wonder  when  you  will  learn  to  tell  a 
falsehood  with  an  air  of  truth  ? " 

Evidently  he  did  not  deem  this  question  worthy  oi 


44  IN   STRAXGE   COMPANY. 

a  reply,  for  he  threw  himself  into  a  chair,  and  "began  to 
roll  a  cigarette,  without  vouchsafing  one. 

Now,  when  I  say  that  Juanita  Encarnagion  Valdores, 
whose  name  we  have  heard  mentioned  so  many  times 
before,  was  altogether  an  uncommon  woman,  I  desire  to 
imply  that  she  was  uncommon  not  only  in  a  physical, 
but  in  several  other  senses  besides.  Her  beauty  alone 
was  such  as  to  arrest  immediate  attention.  Of  rather 
more  than  middle  height,  she  carried  herself  with  an 
erectness  calculated  to  give  one  the  idea  that  she  was 
several  inches  taller  than  her  real  stature.  Even  for 
one  owning  Spanish  blood,  her  complexion  was  dark 
almost  to  swarthiness,  while  her  upper  lip  was  not 
without  a  suspicion  of  what  is  irreverently  termed  a 
moustache.  Yet  it  was  strange  that  these  two  things, 
counted  in  other  women  serious  defects,  in  Juanita  not 
only  failed  to  detract  from  the  general  effect,  but  in  a 
great  measure  added  to  it.  Her  hands  and  feet  were 
in  keeping  with  the  rest  of  her  frame,  neither  too  large 
nor  too  small ;  her  manner  could  be  anything  she  chose, 
from  caressing  to  fiendish;  and  her  voice  and  laugh, 
when  she  so  desired,  sounded  on  the  ear  like  sweets4 
music.  Like  Marcos  Veneda,  she  was  all  mysteriou,*- 
ness.  Many  curious  stories  were  told  of  her  past,  and 
as  a  faithful  chronicler,  I  must  admit  that  they  did  Lot 
all  redound  to  her  credit.  She  had  been  in  Chili 
nearly  four  years  ;  but  where  she  had  hailed  from 
before  that  I  am  not  prepared  to  say.  It  only  con- 
cerns us  that,  at  the  time  of  wltich  I  write,  she  was 
without  a  protector,  and  indeed  it  appeared  as  if  she 
would  be  likely  to  remain  so,  for  no  man  was  careless 


A   STRANGE   NIGHT.  45 

enough  of  his  reputation  with  the  public  to  take  such  a 
position  upon  himself.  It  is  possible  that  this  maj 
have  been  the  reason  why  she  drifted  towards  Veneda, 
whose  predicament,  as  we  have  seen,  was  not  altogether 
dissimilar  to  her  own. 

"  Come,  come,  Marcos,"  she  said,  "  I  cannot  say  that 
you're  the  best  of  company  to-night.  Tell  me,  don't 
you  think  I'm  a  plucky  woman  to  venture  out  on  such 
a  night,  and  to  call  on  you  of  all  people  ?  " 

"  I  am  proportionately  honoured,"  he  replied  gravely ; 
"  but  I  suppose  you  have  some  very  good  reason,  or  you 
wouldn't  have  run  the  risk." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders,  and  made  a  little  gesture 
with  her  hands,  as  one  who  would  say,  "  who  knows." 
Then  her  manner  changed  completely,  and  leaning  for- 
ward, she  placed  one  hand  on  his  arm.  He  had  been 
earnestly  regarding  her  all  this  time,  endeavouring  to 
read  in  her  face  what  was  passing  in  her  mind.  Now  he 
prepared  himself  for  the  struggle  he  felt  was  imminent. 

"  My  Marcos,"  she  said  softly,  and  the  name  came 
very  prettily  from  her  lips,  "  I  suppose  you  have  heard 
that  people  call  me  a  witch,  because  they  say  I  turn 
men's  heads.  They  also  say — no,  do  not  speak  till  I 
have  done — that  sometimes  I  can  read  men's  thoughts, 
and  not  unfrequently  foretell  future  events." 

"  Then,  Juanita,"  he  answered,  as  soon  as  he  could 
get  a  word  in,  "you  certainly  could  not  have  come  at 
a  better  time.  You  shall  read  my  fate,  and  advise  me 
as  to  what  course  I  should  pursue  regarding  it." 

Without  another  word  she  lifteu  his  hand,  which  lay 
upon  the  arm  of  her  chair,  and  examined  it  carefully 


46  IN   STRANGE    COMPANY. 

The  flickering  candle-light  fsll  upon  her  bent  head,  and 
danced  amid  the  luxuriant  tangle  of  her  hair. 

"  Shall  I  tell  you  everything  I  see  ?  "  she  asked.  He 
saw  that  her  face  had  grown  suddenly  very  serious. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  he  replied. 

"Because  I  am  frightened,  Marcos,"  she  answered, 
shuddering, "  because  there  is  something  terrible  written 
on  your  hand." 

"  In  what  way  ?  * 

"  Treachery,  Marcos,  and  for  a  large  sum  of  money  ! " 

He  snatched  his  hand  angrily  away,  and  to  cover  his 
embarrassment  affected  entire  disbelief. 

"  You  are  indeed  a  fortune-teller  1  You  will  accuse 
me  of  having  assassinated  the  President  directly.  And 
pray  what  else  did  you  see  ? " 

"  I  had  better  not  tell  you,  you  will  only  be  angry 
with  me." 

"  Angry  with  you !     Never  I " 

"  Marcos,  I  saw  on  your  hand  more  than  you  dream. 
Hush,  listen  to  me  ;  you  are  contemplating  flight.1' 

"  That  is  not  a  difficult  thing  to  see.  If  things  do  not 
improve  here,  many  of  us  will  be  driven  into  clearing 
out.  You  must  be  smarter  than  that,  Juanita." 

"  Oh,  but  that  is  not  alL  I  see  that  you  have  sent 
great  treasure  away  to  a  far  country,  and  that  you  intend 
to  follow  it." 

*  This  is  beautiful !    What— what  else  ? " 

*  That  your  professed  love  for  me  is  only  lip  service, 
for  you  intend  to  desert  me." 

"  That  is  about  as  true  as  the  rest.  Have  you  anything 
further?" 


A   STRANGE   NIGHT.  47 

"That  your  treasure  amounts  to  over  £200,000  of 
English  money,  and  that  it  is  directed  to  a — let  me 
see," — here  she  pretended  to  study  his  hand  again, — 
"  Sir  Benjamin  Plowden  (bah !  your  English  names  I) 
who  lives  in  the  East  India  Avenue  of  your  great  smoky 
London.  Is  that  true  ?  Ah  !  I  see  it  is." 

There  was  a  ring  of  triumph  in  her  voice.  She  had 
played  a  doubtful  card,  and  scored  a  victory.  For  the 
moment  Veneda  was  totally  unnerved;  his  face,  pale 
before,  was  now  snow-white ;  large  beads  of  perspiration 
covered  his  forehead. 

a  How  did  you  learn  all  that  nonsense  ?  "  he  stammered. 

"  Why,  from  your  hand,  of  course,"  came  the  mocking 
reply.  "And  is  it  such  nonsense?  Marcos,  Marcos,  I 
have  always  said  you  were  a  clever  man,  but  you  must 
be  cleverer  still  to  deceive  me.  Woman's  wit — you 
know  the  proverb.  Will  you  have  more  ?  Shall  I  tell 
you,  for  instance,  what  Macklin  and  the  Society  would 
say  of  it,  and  what  key  guards  your  treasure  -chamber  ?  " 

"By  all  means,  if  there  is  such  a  thing,"  he  cried, 
his  nervousness  lifting  his  voice  almost  to  a  falsetto. 
Meanwhile  his  eyes  seemed  to  be  attempting  to  read 
her  very  soul.  Perhaps  his  scrutiny  relieved  him,  for 
the  expression  on  his  face  chacged. 

"I  knew  you  couldn't  do  it,"  he  said  quietly.  "I 
return  your  compliment ;  you're  very  clever,  but  you 
must  be  cleverer  still  to  deceive  me." 

"How  do  you  know  that  I  don't  understand  it?" 
she  inquired,  with  just  a  suspicion  of  nervousness  now 
in  ktr  voice.  "  Since  I  can  tell  so  much,  how  do  you 
know  that  I  can't  tell  all  I" 


48  IN    STllAIsGE    COMPANY. 

" Because, my  dear" — he  had  quite  recovered  himself 
by  this  time,  and  was  bitterly  regretting  having  betrayed 
his  feelings  so  openly — "  even  if  I  had  any  such  business 
on  hand,  I  am  certain  you  don't  know  what  you  pretend, 
otherwise  you  would  have  it  in  your  eyes.  Ah  ! " 

His  attention  was  attracted  to  a  small  writing-table 
standing  in  a  corner  of  the  room.  The  blotting-book 
lay  upon  it  turned  upside  down.  Seizing  it,  he  fell  to 
turning  the  leaves.  One  was  missing. 

"  Ha !  ha  !  my  little  sorceress  ! "  he  cried  mockingly, 
u  you  are  discovered.  It  is  an  old  trick  and  a  good  one. 
I  remember  blotting  the  first  two  sides  of  the  letter  on 
a  fresh  page.  To  obtain  your  information,  you  have 
simply  torn  that  out,  and  held  it  against  the  light.  But 
the  rest,  the  most  important  part,  was  not  blotted  at  all. 
So  you  can  do  me  no  harm  after  all." 

"  Why  should  you  think  I  wish  to  harm  you  ?  " 

"  I  don't  think  you  do ;  I  only  think  you  might. 
And  you  see,  of  £200,000,  two  hundred  thousand  pounds' 
worth  of  care  must  be  taken.  By  the  way,  since  you  know 
so  much,  I  doubt  if  it  would  be  prudent  to  let  you  out 
of  this  house  again." 

Ignoring  the  threat  entirely,  she  continued  the  con- 
versation as  if  it  had  not  been  uttered. 

"  At  least  you  might  have  trusted  me,  Marcos." 

"  Have  I  said  that  I  do  not  ?  " 

"  You  have  not  said  so  in  so  many  words,  but  I  know 
you  don't.  Besides,  you  are  leaving  Chili  to-morrow 
night." 

"How  do  you  know  that  ?" 

"  I  forget,  but  it's  true,  isn't  it,  Marcos  ? — and  you  will 


A   STRANGE    NIGHT.  49 

take  me  with  you,  won't  you  ?  Even  if  you  no  longer 
love  me,  you  will  have  pity  on  me  ?  You  will  not 
leave  me  to  their  mercy  ?  I  am  so  tired  of  this  life 
of  spying  and  conspiracy,  and  I  would  be  so  faithful 
to  you." 

Her  voice  trembled.  He  stopped  his  restless  pacing 
up  and  down  the  room,  and  looked  at  her.  As  far  as 
he  could  see  there  was  only  a  great  love  for  himself 
shining  in  her  eyes.  She  looked  wondrously  beautiful 
It  was  a  temptation  and  a  danger ;  yet  perhaps,  all 
things  considered,  it  was  the  safest  course.  A  second 
later  he  had  made  up  his  mind,  and  as  he  did  so  a 
corresponding  light  came  into  his  eyes.  It  would  have 
been  hard  to  tell  which  was  more  in  earnest  Resuming 
his  seat  beside  her,  he  said — 

"  Juanita,  I  do  love  you,  and  I  believe  I  can  trust  you ; 
come  what  may,  we  will  go  together." 

"  My  own  dear  love  ! " 

He  took  her  hand  and  gravely  kissed  it.  The  crisis 
was  past 

Both  felt  they  had  scored  a  victory,  but  both  felt  it 
would  require  very  little  to  overthrow  it  Five  minutes 
later  she  was  speeding  home  unaccompanied,  for  she 
would  not  hear  of  his  being  seen  in  the  streets  with  her. 
In  the  security  of  her  own  room  she  regarded  herself 
in  her  glass,  and  as  she  did  so  she  said  half  aloud — 

u  He  did  his  very  best  to  put  me  off  the  scent,  but  I 
beat  him  in  the  end.  One  thing  is  certain,  he  carries 
the  piece  of  paper  that  is  to  authorize  the  payment  of 
the  money  about  with  him,  in  a  large  locket  fastened 
round  his  neck  with  a  double  chain.  I  felt  it  when  my 


50  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

head  rested  on  his  breast.  Two  hundred  thousand 
pounds — it's  the  greatest  stake  I  ever  played  for. 
With  that  I  should  be  a  free  woman  again.  Come 
what  may,  my  Marcos,  I'll  never  desert  you  till  I  have 
shared  it  with  you  or  relieved  you  of  it." 

When  she  had  left  him,  Veneda  threw  up  his  window, 
and  leant  out  into  the  night.  The  rain  had  ceased. 
He  could  see  watch-fires  gleaming  all  along  the  heights, 
and  myriads  of  lights  twinkling  among  the  shipping  in 
the  harbour;  but  though  he  looked  at  them,  I  don't 
think  he  was  conscious  that  he  saw  them.  He  was 
reviewing  in  his  mind  all  he  had  passed  through  that 
evening,  and  wondering  whether  or  not  the  balance 
stood  in  his  favour. 

From  the  consideration  of  his  present  position,  his 
thoughts  passed  out  across  the  open  ocean  to  a  mail- 
boat  homeward  bound.  And  so  piercing  was  the  gaze 
of  his  mind's  eye,  that  it  penetrated  even  through  iron 
and  timber  to  the  vessel's  bullion-room,  where  reposed 
a  certain  chest,  with  which  his  fortunes  were  not 
altogether  unconnected.  Then  dropping  the  good  ship 
behind  it,  as  if  she  were  standing  still,  on  his  fancy 
sped  across  the  seas  to  the  land  he  had  not  known 
for  fifteen  years.  There  in  a  smiling  valley,  nestling 
among  beech  woods,  he  found  for  himself  a  home,  a 
life  of  honest  independence,  of  love,  of  respect,  and, 
above  all  things,  of  forgetfulness  of  Chili  and  the  past ! 
His  imagination  painted  it  for  him  with  realistic 
touches,  but  would  it  ever  come  true  ?  With  Goethe 
he  might  very  well  have  said,  "When  how,  and 
where?  That  is  the  question!" 


A   STRANGE   NIGHT.  51 

After  a  while  he  drew  in  his  head,  and  shut  the 
window.  Then  from  round  his  neck  he  took  a  locket. 
Opening  it,  a  curious  slip  of  ragged  paper  fell  to  the 
floor.  Picking  it  up,  he  gazed  at  it  for  a  few  seconds, 
and  then  replaced  it,  saying  to  himself — 

"  Boulger's  squared — the  Island  Queen  is  ready,  and 
with  to-morrow  night's  tide  I  bid  good-bye  to  Chili  for 
ever  and  a  day.  They'll  never  think  of  looking  for 
me  in  the  South  Pacific,  and  I'll  work  my  way  home 
by  Australia  and  the  East.  Confound  Juanita!  I 
ought  to  have  anticipated  this  trick  of  hers.  It's  the 
deuce  and  all,  but  there's  no  other  way  out  of  it,  I 
must  take  her  with  me.  It  would  be  madness  to  leave 
her  behind  to  act  with  the  Albino  and  the  Society 
against  me;  but  before  I  get  to  the  other  side,  if  I 
don't  hit  out  some  plan  to  rid  myself  of  her,  my  name's 
not  Marmaduke  Plowden ! " 


CHAPTER  IIL 

A    STRANGER    DAT. 

QUITE  an  hour  before  daybreak  Veneda  was 
awakeued  by  sounds  of  excitement  in  the  streets. 
Bitterly  cold  though  the  morning  proved,  almost  every 
one  was  astir,  listening  for  the  cannonading  which 
would  proclaim  the  opening  of  the  engagement  on  the 
heights.  The  booming  of  a  few  guns  came  with  the 
breaking  day,  faintly  at  first,  but  growing  louder  as 
the  light  increased.  Without  doubt  the  lot  g  expected 
battle  had  commenced. 

Following  the  example  of  his  neighbours,  Veneda 
threw  up  his  window  and  leant  out  to  listen.  Some- 
how or  other,  since  his  conversation  with  the  English 
merchant  in  the  Caile  de  Victoria  the  previous  night, 
his  confidence  in  a  victory  for  the  Government  had 
been  a  little  shaken;  and  now  for  the  first  time  he 
began  to  experience  twinges  of  real  alarm  for  his  own 
immediate  safety.  Supposing  he  should  be  arrested  by 
the  Congressionalist  leaders  for  his  treachery  to  them, 
where  would  his  escape  be  then  ?  In  that  case  Boulger 
would  not  wait,  and  Juanita  for  her  own  safety  would 
be  certain  to  betray  him.  But  he  reflected  that  it  was 
full  early  yet  to  be  frightened,  and  moreover  he  had 


A    STRANGER    DAY.  53 

been  in  so  many  close  things  before,  that  one  more  or 
less  could  hardly  matter. 

The  behaviour  of  the  people  in  the  streets  was 
peculiar.  In  their  excitement  men  no  longer  showed 
evidences  of  partisanship  ;  all  the  thoughts  and  anxieties 
of  Gobiernistas  and  Oppositores  alike  were  centred  on 
the  battle  then  proceeding.  It  was  as  though  they 
were  spectators  of  a  stage-play  and  nothing  more.  The 
time  for  individual  animosity,  they  told  themselves, 
would  come  later. 

By  breakfast- time  the  excitement  had  risen  to  fever 
heat.  From  the  clearness  with  which  the  sounds  could 
be  distinguished,  it  was  plain  that  the  Government 
forces  were  being  driven  back,  and  this  could  have 
but  one  meaning, — the  Opposition  were  advancing  on 
Valparaiso.  The  noise  grew  louder  every  minute,  and 
with  its  approach  the  turbulent  element  of  the  town 
began  to  make  its  presence  felt  in  the  streets.  The 
peculiar  ping  of  rifle-bullets  sounded  continually  in  the 
lower  quarters ;  many  business  premises  away  from 
the  main  thoroughfares  were  looted ;  while  in  not  one 
but  several  directions  the  smoke  of  incendiary  fires 
rose  on  the  clear  morning  air. 

So  certain  had  every  one,  by  this  time,  become  of 
the  result  of  the  fighting,  that  many  Government 
supporters  packed  up  their  traps  and  quitted  the  town 
with  as  little  ostentation  as  possible;  either  scurrying 
into  the  neighbouring  mountains,  or  seeking  refuge  on 
board  the  foreign  men-of-war  at  anchor  in  the  harbour. 

Towards  ten  o'clock  the  firing  slackened  off,  and  by 
aalf-past  had  ceased  altogether.  A  victory  had  been 


54  IF   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

won — but  by  whom  ?  This  question  was  in  everybody's 
mouth. 

News,  however,  was  not  long  forthcoming.  In  all 
directions  terrified  camp-followers — men,  women,  and 
children,  on  foot  and  on  horseback — might  have  been 
seen  making  for  the  town  as  fast  as  their  own  legs  or 
those  of  their  beasts  could  carry  them.  As  they  hurried 
along  they  announced  in  loud  voices  the  absolute  defeat 
of  the  Government  forces,  exaggerating  the  details  with 
every  repetition  of  the  story.  After  a  short  interval 
they  were  followed  by  the  vanquished  and  flying  troops 
themselves,  who  corroborated  what  tho  others  had  so 
authoritatively  proclaimed.  There  could  be  no  doubt 
that  the  Opposition  had  won  a  signal  victory.  The 
reign  of  terror  was  over  I  The  hated  Dictator,  Balma- 
ceda,  hitherto  regardless  of  what  lives  he  sacrificed 
to  gain  his  ends,  was  now  not  only  powerless,  but  an 
outcast  and  a  suppliant  for  his  own. 

Hard  upon  the  heels  of  the  fugitive  troops,  amid 
an  outburst  of  wildest  excitement,  came  the  advance 
guard  of  the  victorious  army,  with  bands  playing  and 
colours  waving.  Bells  clashed  and  jangled  from  every 
steeple,  continual  vivas  rent  the  air,  and  crackers  by 
hundreds  were  exploded  in  the  streets.  Every  one 
wore  the  red  ribbon  of  the  Opposition,  and  every  face 
(for  active  Gobiernistas  were  wise  enough  not  to  parade 
theirs)  testified  to  the  relief  and  joy  with  which  the 
result  was  hailed.  There  could  not  have  been  a  more 
popular  termination  to  the  struggle. 

As  soon  as  the  result  of  the  battle  had  become 
known,  the  Intendente  had  delivered  up  the  town  to 


A   STRANGER    DAY.  55 

the  admirals  of  the  foreign  war-ships,  who  now  in  theii 
turn  handed  it  over  to  the  Congressionalist  leaders. 
The  place  had  thus  practically  changed  hands  from  the 
Republic  to  the  Republic ;  from  one  class  to  the  other 
and  more  popular  section  of  the  community. 

It  may  be  imagined  that  Veneda  took  care  to  be 
well  posted  on  all  that  occurred.  With  the  entrance 
of  the  troops  he  saw  the  total  destruction  of  his  political 
hopes,  and  now  his  active  mind  was  busily  engaged 
working  out  the  best  possible  means  of  securing  his 
own  safety,  until  the  time  should  come  for  him  to  leave 
the  country. 

Reflecting  that  to  all  intents  and  purposes  his  life 
would  depend  an  his  personal  appearance,  he  first 
turned  his  attention  in  that  direction.  In  five  minutes 
his  close-cropped  beard  had  disappeared ;  his  heavy 
black  moustache  was  twirled  and  twisted  into  quite 
a  new  and  extraordinary  shape;  while  his  well-cut 
English  clothes  were  discarded  for  a  more  Chilian  garb, 
including  a  poncho  and  a  broad-leafed  sombrero. 
When  thus  equipped  he  paraded  before  his  glass,  he 
could  not  but  admit  that  the  effect  was  excellent  The 
odds  were  a  thousand  to  one  against  any  one  recognizing 
in  this  typical  Chilano  the  Marcos  Veneda  of  half-an- 
hour  before. 

By  the  time  he  was  dressed  he  had  determined  as 
to  his  next  course  of  action.  He  saw  that  it  would  be 
impossible  for  him  to  remain  where  he  was ;  therefore, 
until  the  hour  for  boarding  the  schooner  should  arrive, 
he  must  seek  an  asylum  elsewhere.  But  before  leaving 
the  house  many  things  had  to  be  thought  o£  Glancing 


56  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

round  the  room  with  its  host  of  familiar  knick-knacks, 
he  set  himself  to  destroy  what  he  did  not  desire  should 
fall  into  other  hands,  concealing  ahout  his  person  such 
small  articles  of  value  or  association  as  he  wished  to 
carry  away.  When  this  was  accomplished  he  dropped 
a  carefully-loaded  revolver  into  the  pocket  of  his 
poncho,  and  was  ready  to  forsake  the  house. 

That  he  might  not  be  observed  leaving  by  the  front 
door,  he  lifted  the  window  and  swung  himself  from  it 
down  into  the  patio.  For  a  moment  he  stopped  to 
listen,  then  hearing  nothing  suspicious,  passed  without 
further  ado  into  the  street.  No  one  was  to  be 
seen. 

Where  to  go,  or  what  to  do  with  himself  (it  was  not 
yet  two  o'clock),  he  had  not  made  up  his  mind.  Strange 
to  say,  considering  the  danger  it  would  involve  him  in, 
he  felt  an  intense  desire  to  see  all  that  was  to  be  seen, 
and  to  participate,  himself,  in  the  general  excitement. 
Of  the  latter  there  was  no  lack ;  the  town  was  full  of 
disbanded  soldiery,  and  serious  rioting  had  already 
occurred.  The  foreign  war-ships  had  landed  forces  to 
protect  foreign  life,  but  in  the  lower  quarters  the  mob 
ruled  paramount. 

So  complete  was  his  disguise  that  Veneda  found 
himself,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  standing  side  by 
side  with  former  acquaintances,  unmolested  and  un- 
recognized. The  knowledge  of  this  securit}?-  gave  him 
fresh  courage,  and  he  followed  the  course  of  the  day's 
events  with  additional  interest  and  vigour.  Yet  a  danger- 
he  had  never  anticipated  was  in  store  for  him. 

Leaving  the  Calle  de  Victoria,  he  passed  down  a  side 


A   STRANGER   DAY.  57 

street  in  the  direction  of  the  harbour,  but  before  he  had 
proceeded  fifty  yards  a  sound  he  knew  only  too  well 
greeted  his  ears;  it  was  the  noise  of  a  crowd  in  hot 
pursuit  of  something  or  somebody. 

Not  wishing  to  run  the  risk  of  being  mistaken  foi 
their  quarry,  he  cast  about  him  for  a  loophole  of  escape. 
But  none  presented  itself.  While  he  was  looking,  foot- 
steps sounded  close  behind  him.  To  his  astonishment 
the  runner  was  none  other  than  John  Macklin  the 
Albino,  chairman  of  the  Society,  his  face  livid  with 
terror,  and  his  breath  coming  from  him  in  great 
spasmodic  jerks.  His  clothes  were  in  rags,  and  covered 
with  a  filth  which  reached  even  to  his  hair;  his  hat 
was  gone,  and  long  purple  weals  streaked  his  dainty 
cheeks.  The  agony  expressed  in  his  eyes  lent  an  extra- 
ordinary effect  to  his  face. 

"Save  me,  save  me  I"  he  gasped,  falling  at  Veneda's 
feet.  "  In  the  merciful  name  of  God,  I  beseech  you  to 
save  me ! " 

For  the  reason  that  Macklin  did  not  recognize  him, 
nothing  would  have  been  easier  than  for  the  other  to 
have  cast  him  off,  and  for  the  space  of  three  breaths  he 
was  half  inclined  to  do  it.  Then,  for  some  reason  which 
he  was  never  afterwards  able  to  explain  (it  must  be 
understood  that  the  dwarfs  death  would  in  a  great 
measure  have  rescued  him  from  his  very  awkward 
predicament),  he  determined  to  do  his  best  to  help 
him.  It  was  a  foolish  resolution,  but  it  was  only  on  a 
par  with  the  man's  extraordinarily  complex  character. 

The  noise  of  the  mob,  like  that  of  hounds  in  full  cry, 
was  drawing  closer ;  any  second  might  bring  them  into 


58  UN   STRANGE    COMPANY. 

view.  Turning  to  the  terrified  creature  beside  him,  he 
cried — 

"  I'll  do  ray  best  for  you.    Pick  up  your  heels  and  run." 

Running  appeared  the  last  thing  the  Albino,  in  his 
present  exhausted  condition,  would  be  capable  of,  but 
he  nevertheless  followed  in  the  other's  wake,  panting 
horribly,  and  throwing  his  long  arms  about  with  wind- 
mill -like  gesticulations.  As  they  started  the  mob 
burst  into  view,  and  a  second  later  a  shot  whisked  in 
unpleasant  proximity  to  Veneda's  head.  There  is  some- 
thing chilling  in  the  whine  of  a  rifle-bullet,  and  as 
he  heard  it  he  began  to  repent  having  taken  any  share 
in  the  Albino's  private  concerns.  Without  turning  his 
head,  he  cried — 

"Faster,  faster,  round  the  next  corner,  and  then 
follow  me." 

This  was,  however,  easier  said  than  done ;  the  little 
man's  strength,  already  taxed  beyond  straining  pitch, 
was  quite  unequal  to  a  fresh  demand.  He  began  to 
lag  behind,  and  Veneda  saw  that  if  he  reached  the 
shelter  of  the  street  corner,  about  fifty  yards  distant,  it 
would  be  as  much  as  he  could  possibly  accomplish. 

Not  a  second  was  to  be  lost ;  their  pursuers  were  barely 
more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  behind.  Stopping, 
he  turned,  and  as  his  companion  approached  him, 
stooped  and  took  him  in  his  arms,  throwing  him  up 
on  to  his  shoulder  as  if  his  weight  were  the  merest 
trifle.  Then  he  resumed  his  flight. 

Reaching  the  corner  he  flew  round  it,  thankful  to 
find  no  one  in  sight,  and  made  for  a  row  of  deserted 
houses  across  the  way.  Into  the  patio  of  the  third  of 


A   STRANGER    DAY.  59 

these  he  dashed,  and  not  until  then  did  he  place  his 
burden  on  the  ground. 

"  I  can't  carry  you  any  further ;  we  must  hide  ! M  he 
cried,  vigorously  attacking  a  door  which  opened  on  to 
the  courtyard ;  "  our  lives  depend  upon  getting  into 
this  house.  Help  me,  help  me  ! " 

The  Albino  required  no  second  bidding,  and  between 
them  they  burst  in  the  door.  They  were  only  just  in 
time,  for  as  the  lock  gave  way  they  heard  the  vanguard 
of  the  mob  come  howling  round  the  corner.  Veneda 
knew  that  when  they  could  not  see  their  game  before 
them,  it  would  be  only  a  question  of  seconds  before 
they  would  commence  their  search  of  the  neighbour- 
hood. Experience  had  taught  him  that  a  mob  does  not 
allow  itself  to  be  robbed  of  its  prey  without  a  struggle. 

Once  inside  the  house  he  led  the  way  iip-stairs. 
Unlike  most  Chilian  residences,  it  was  of  three  storeys, 
and  built  of  stone — a  bad  speculation  on  the  part  of  an 
English  builder.  Not  until  they  had  ascended  to  the 
garrets  did  they  pause  to  listen.  An  angry  murmur 
came  up  to  them  from  the  street,  and  when  he  heard 
it  Veneda  turned  to  his  companion,  who  was  lying  on 
the  floor  endeavouring  to  regain  his  breath,  and  said — 

"That  means  that  they've  tracked  us  down.  How 
we're  going  to  give  them  the  slip  now  is  more  than  I 


can  see." 


As  he  spoke,  a  crash  came  from  the  lower  regions. 
"  That's  the  front  door,"  he  continued  calmly.     "  We 
must  be  moving  on  again.     Are  you  ready  ? " 

The  Albino's  only  answer  was  to  spring  to  his  feet. 
Being  already  as  high  up  as  they  could  get  without 


60  IN   STKANGE    COMPANY. 

crawling  on  to  the  roof,  where  next  to  go  became  the 
question.  A  noise  of  voices  told  them  that  their 
pursuers  were  within  the  house  itself.  They  were 
caught  like  rats  in  a  trap  !  Apart  from  any  other 
consideration,  it  would,  in  all  probability,  be  a  most 
unpleasant  death  they  would  die ;  and  Yeneda  reflected 
that  after  so  many  narrow  escapes  it  would  be  humi- 
liating to  perish  at  the  hands  of  a  lawless  mob  in 
somebody  else's  quarrel 

While  these  thoughts  were  flashing  through  his 
brain  he  was  looking  about  him  for  some  means  of 
exit,  but  save  for  the  door  they  had  entered  by,  and 
the  window  which  looked  out  at  the  back  over  some 
lower  roofs,  nothing  worthy  of  his  consideration  pre- 
sented itself.  The  door  was  clearly  impracticable, 
unless  they  desired  to  meet  their  pursuers  on  the 
stairs,  and  as  to  the  window,  there  was  a  drop  of  fully 
fifteen  feet  from  it  on  to  the  nearest  roof,  and  at  least 
twenty  more  on  to  the  stones  of  the  courtyard.  By  this 
time  the  foremost  of  the  mob  were  in  the  room  beneath 
them. 

A  heavy  perspiration  broke  out  on  Veneda's  fore- 
head ;  the  Albino  shrank  into  a  corner,  and  covered  his 
face  with  his  hands.  But  they  could  not  meet  their 
death  without  a  struggle,  so,  come  what  might,  they 
must  try  the  window.  Crossing  to  it  Veneda  threw  it 
open,  at  the  same  time  beckoning  the  dwarf  to  his  side. 

rt  Now,"  he  said,  "  there  is  nothing  for  it  but  to  get 
out  on  the  roof,  and  crawl  along  the  housetops  till  we 
can  find  a  place  to  get  down.  Don't  stand  whimpering 
there,  but  pay  attention  to  what  I  say.  I'll  swing 


A   STRANGER   DAY.  61 

myself  up  first,  and  when  I'm  ready  111  do  my  best  to 
pull  you  after  me.  Stand  by,  or  I  swear  I'll  leave  you 
to  your  fate ! " 

It  was  a  useless  warning  ;  the  Albino  was  ready  to 
risk  anything,  even  a  tumble  into  the  courtyard,  rather 
than  to  allow  himself  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  those 
who  were  now  on  the  staircase  leading  to  their  room. 

With  all  the  speed  he  could  command  Veneda  crawled 
backwards  out  of  the  narrow  window,  and  clutched  the 
thin  guttering  of  the  roof  above.  What  he  was  about 
to  attempt  was  riot  only  a  difficult,  but  a  horribly 
dangerous  feat,  for  there  was  literally  nothing  to  catch 
hold  of  that  would  permit  of  a  grip.  It  was  an  athletic 
test  that  would  have  tried  the  nerve  and  endurance  of 
the  most  accomplished  gymnast.  Bit  by  bit,  with 
infinite  pain,  he  drew  himself  up,  till  his  shoulders 
were  above  the  guttering.  The  muscles  of  his  arms 
appeared  as  if  they  must  snap  under  the  strain  they 
were  called  upon  to  endure.  The  suspense  was  awful ; 
but  if  it  seemed  long  to  Veneda  before  he  was  lying 
stretched  on  the  roof,  what  an  eternity  must  it  have 
been  to  the  miserable  Albino  crouched  in  the  room 
below  1 

Then  the  other's  voice  reached  him,  saying — 

"  Crawl  backwards  out  of  the  window,  and  give  me 
your  hands.  Be  quick !  I  can't  stay  like  this  long  1 " 

The  shouts  of  the  mob  and  the  trampling  on  the 
staircase  stimulated  him.  Crawling  out  of  the  window 
as  he  was  ordered,  he  stretched  his  long  arms  upwards. 
His  hands  were  clutched  from  above ;  then  he  felt  him- 
self lifted  clear  of  the  sill,  and  next  moment  he  was 


82  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

swaying  out  into  mid  air.  If  the  strain  on  Venecia's 
muscles  had  been  great  when  he  pulled  himself  up 
on  to  the  roof,  how  much  greater  was  it  now  that 
he  had  not  only  to  retain  his  own  position,  but  to  lift 
this  other  man  as  well !  The  Albino  looked  up  into 
his  face  and  saw  the  veins  standing  out  upon  it  as 
large  as  maccaroni  stems,  and  strange  though  it  may 
appear,  it  was  only  then  that  he  recognized  his  de- 
liverer. A  minute  later  he  was  stretched  on  the  roof- 
top, just  as  the  leaders  of  the  mob  entered  the  room 
they  had  so  lately  quitted. 

It  was  a  long  time  before  either  spoke.  Then  the 
Albino,  leaning  towards  his  preserver,  whispered — 

"  Marcos,  I  owe  you  my  life.  I  reckon  I  won't  forget 
what  you've  done  for  me  to-day." 

"  You  had  a  close  shave  of  it.  What  devil's  game 
were  you  up  to  that  they  should  chase  you  ?  " 

"  I  met  them  in  the  Calle  de  Victoria,  and  some  one 
cried  '  Gobiernista ' ;  next  moment  they  started  after 
me  like  bloodhounds.  If  I  hadn't  met  you,  I'd  have 
been  a  dead  man  1 " 

Perhaps  Veneda  did  not  hear  him.  At  any  rate  he 
made  no  reply.  He  was  listening  to  the  sounds  in  the 
street,  and  wondering,  now  that  the  mob  found  them- 
selves outwitted,  what  their  next  move  would  be. 

He  was  not  to  be  kept  long  in  suspense.  That  opera- 
tions of  some  kind  were  being  conducted  he  guessed 
from  the  sudden  silence.  Then  a  cry  of  "  Fire  ! "  went 
up,  and  next  moment  smoke  burst  from  either  end  of 
the  row.  He  understood  exactly :  not  being  able  to 
|nd  them,  the  mob  intended  to  burn  them  out  I 


A    STRANGER    DAY.  63 

From  the  two  farthest  houses  the  flames  spread  with 
awful  rapidity,  and  as  they  saw  it  their  tormentors 
howled  and  shrieked  with  delight.  Fortunately  the 
house,  on  the  rearmost  roof  of  which  Veneda  and  the 
Albino  lay,  was  the  centre  one,  and  for  this  reason  they 
would  have  some  time  to  wait  before  they  could  expe- 
rience any  actual  danger. 

It  may  be  imagined  with  what  interest  they  watched 
the  approaching  flames,  speculating  how  soon  the) 
would  be  obliged  to  move  again.  The  heat  was  over- 
powering ;  but  the  conflagration  was  not  speedy  enough 
for  the  miscreants  below,  who  thereupon  set  fire  to  the 
lower  regions  of  the  middle  house. 

This,  Veneda  told  himself,  was  becoming  too  much 
of  a  good  thing.  The  tiles  were  every  moment  growing 
hotter  and  hotter,  and  in  a  few  minutes  it  would  be 
impossible  to  remain  upon  them.  The  dense,  choking 
smoke  enveloped  them  in  clouds. 

With  an  eye  ever  on  the  look-out,  he  saw  that  the 
only  cool  spot  was  a  tiny  position  on  a  parapet  to  their 
left,  as  yet  a  good  distance  from  the  flames.  He  moved 
towards  it,  thinking  he  had  done  quite  enough  for  his 
companion.  There  was  not  room  for  more  than  one 
upon  the  place,  and  he  secured  it  first. 

Presently,  overcome  with  heat  and  despair,  the 
wretched  Albino  crawled  along  the  roof,  and  endea- 
voured to  find  a  foothold  on  it  also.  Veneda  called  upon 
him  to  go  back,  but  he  refused.  It  was  impossible  for 
both  to  remain — one  must  go,  and  a  battle  began  for 
the  position. 

Partly  owing  to  the  situation  of  the  outhouses  below* 


64  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

partly  to  the  fact  that  the  mob  was  watching  events 
from  the  street  front,  but  more  to  the  dense  smoke 
which  enveloped  them,  their  struggle  was  unnoticed. 
It  was  of  but  short  duration.  How  could  one  of  the 
Albino's  size  hope  to  contend  with  a  man  so  muscular 
as  Veneda  !  For  a  few  brief  seconds  they  were  locked 
in  each  other's  arms ;  then  Veneda's  right  hand  seized 
upon  the  other's  throat,  and  began  to  press  his  head 
further  and  further  back.  At  last,  to  save  himself  from 
a  broken  neck,  the  Albino  let  go  his  hold,  and  fell  with 
a  yell  from  the  roof  into  the  smoke  below.  But  though 
he  had  not  succeeded  in  his  attempt  to  remain  upon 
the  wall,  he  did  not  allow  his  companion  to  occupy 
it  either,  for  as  he  fell  he  made  a  last  feeble  clutch 
at  Veneda's  legs.  Slight  though  it  was,  it  was  sufficient 
to  disturb  the  other's  balance.  He  tottered,  swayed, 
endeavoured  to  save  himself,  failed  in  the  attempt,  and 
finally  fell,  as  his  companion  had  done  before  him,  into 
the  Unknown.  Such  was  the  violence  of  his  fall,  that 
when  he  reached  the  bottom  he  lay  stunned  for  some 
time. 

On  recovering  his  senses  he  found  himself  lying  in 
the  hollow  between  the  roofs  of  the  two  outhouses 
before  mentioned.  Save  for  the  spluttering  flames  of 
the  smouldering  dtbris,  it  was  quite  dark.  The  crowd 
had  dispersed,  and  though  he  looked  carefully  about 
him,  nothing  was  to  be  seen  of  the  Albino.  Whether 
he  had  fallen  into  the  courtyard  and  been  killed  or 
captured  by  the  mob,  he  could  not  of  course  tell,  but 
at  any  rate  he  was  relieved  to  find  that  he  had 
departed  elsewhere. 


A     ^ri:ANf:KK    DAY.  65 

n.-iving  made  sure  of  this,  lie  rose  and  convinced 
himself  that  no  bones  were  broken.  He  had  experi- 
enced a  miraculous  escape,  and  lie  argued  that  it  was 
a  good  omen  for  what  lay  before  him.  Clambering 
over  the  side  of  the  roof,  he  lowered  himself  to  the 
ground,  and  then  skirting  the  ruins  of  the  houses, 
proceeded  into  the  street* 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  ALBINO   IS   DISAPPOINTED. 

YTTHEN  the  Albino  regained  his  senses,  on  the  other 
side  of  the  small  outhouse,  within  five  feet  of 
where  Veneda  lay,  his  first  idea  was  to  find  out  if  he 
had  received  any  injury  from  his  fall  from  the  roof, 
and  next  to  discover  what  had  become  of  the  man  who 
had  occasioned  it. 

He  found  that  beyond  a  severe  shaking  and  a  few 
burns,  he  had  sustained  but  trifling  hurt,  perhaps  for 
the  reason  that  by  clutching  at  the  parapet  he  had 
in  some  measure  broken  his  fall.  But  though  he 
searched  diligently  all  round  the  patio,  and  even  among 
the  ruins  of  the  houses  hard  by,  not  a  trace  of  his  late 
antagonist  could  he  discover. 

What  a  narrow  escape  had  been  his  he  realized  when 
he  looked  about  him,  for  on  every  side  were  heaped 
smouldering  d4l>ris  of  the  dwellings,  while  the  confla- 
gration was  still  proceeding,  with  unabated  violence, 
only  a  few  steps  further  along  the  street.  Why  he 
had  not  been  killed  by  falling  timber,  found  and  de- 
spatched by  the  mob.  or  burnt  up  by  the  flames  as 
he  lay  unconscious,  he  could  not  for  the  life  of  him 
understand. 


THE    ALBINO    IS    DISAPPOINTED.  67 

The  street  being  quiet,  he  settled  it  in  his  own  mihd 
that  the  mob  had  gone  elsewhere,  believing  their  prey 
to  have  perished.  So  giving  himself  a  final  shake  to 
make  quite  certain  that  all  was  sound,  he  waited  his 
opportunity,  and,  when  no  one  was  passing,  struck  out 
in  the  direction  of  the  Calle  de  San  Pedro.  In  spite  of 
his  recent  adventures  he  had  not  forgotten  his  appoint- 
ment with  Vargas  at  the  house  of  the  fugitive  English 
banker ;  and,  as  he  hurried  along,  he  reflected  with  a 
chuckle  that  if,  as  in  all  human  probability  was  the 
case,  Veneda  had  perished  with  the  falling  house,  then 
would  there  be  one  less  with  whom  to  divide  the  spoil. 
He  wished,  however,  that  he  had  seen  the  body.  That, 
he  told  himself,  would  have  been  altogether  more  satis- 
factory, for  he  knew  Vargas  and  Nunez  well  enough  to 
be  aware  that  they  would  not  accept  his  statement  for 
truth,  unless  he  could  bring  substantial  proof  of  its 
authenticity. 

As  he  turned  into  the  Calle  de  San  Pedro,  a  man 
crossed  over  the  road  and  joined  him.  It  was  Pablos 
Vargas.  Without  a  word  they  proceeded  to  the  house, 
a  ramshackle,  old  adobe  structure  of  one  storey,  with 
a  broad  verandah  running  round  three  sides,  and  a  com- 
modious patio  on  the  fourth,  this  latter  protected  by 
a  heavy  gate. 

As  the  conspirators  approached  it  they  were  joined 
by  two  other  men  from  the  premises  on  either 
side. 

"  Well,  Miguel,"  said  the  Albino,  addressing  himself 
to  the  taller  of  the  twain,  *'  what  have  you  to  report  ? 
He  has  not  escaped  you  ? " 


68  IN   STRANGE    COMPANY. 

"  No,  senor.  We  have  not  seen  a  sign  of  him  thia 
week  past,  and  we've  watched  day  and  night." 

"  Well,  if  he's  gone  you  may  pack  your  kits,  and 
clear  out  of  this  country  for  ever.  I  promise  you,  you 
won't  be  able  to  live  in  it  with  me.  You  can  go." 

"  We  want  our  money,"  remarked  the  man  who  had 
not  yet  spoken. 

"  What  ?  Want  your  money,  do  you,  you  longshore 
beach-comber — want  your  money  before  we've  seen  how 
you've  done  your  work  !  Clear  out  of  this.  You'll  be 
paid  at  the  proper  place,  at  ten." 

"  These  are  no  times  for  promises.  We  want  our 
money  now,"  reiterated  the  man ;  "  and  what's  more, 
we're  going  to  have  it  1 " 

The  Albino  was  not  at  all  impressed  by  the  man's 
determined  attitude.  Taking  a  step  towards  him,  he 
whispered  a  sentence  in  his  ear,  with  the  result  that 
next  moment  the  fellow  was  scuttling  down  the  street 
like  one  possessed,  his  companion  after  him. 

Macklin  turned  to  Vargas  with  a  grin. 

"  There  seems  to  be  something  in  the  old  word  after 
all.  Now  come  ;  we've  got  our  work  cut  out." 

As  he  spoke  he  produced  a  key,  and  opened  the  door 
of  the  dwelling  before  which  they  stood,  and  which  was 
to  the  right  of  that  they  designed  to  visit.  Entering, 
they  proceeded  along  the  passage  to  the  small  yard  at 
the  back.  Once  there  only  a  low  wall  separated  them 
from  the  other  house.  With  an  agility  surprising  in 
one  so  deformed,  the  Albino  mounted  it,  and  dropped 
on  to  the  other  side ;  Vargas  followed  him,  and  togother 
they  approached  a  window.  Opening  this,  they  crept 


THE   ALBINO   IS   DISAPPOINTED.  69 

through  it  into  the  dwelling ;  then,  soft  as  cats,  passed 
across  the  room  towards  the  central  passage.  At  a 
signal  from  Macklin,  Vargas  produced  and  lit  a  candle. 

Having  before  they  started  made  themselves  familiar 
with  that  part  of  the  house  which  contained  the  treasure 
of  which  they  were  in  search,  they  were  able  to  ap- 
proach it  without  hesitation  or  delay.  On  reaching  the 
room  they  paused  to  listen,  at  the  same  time  taking 
the  precaution  of  examining  their  arms.  Then,  stealthily 
opening  the  door,  they  entered,  the  Albino  first  and 
Vargas  in  the  rear,  shading  the  candle  with  his  hand. 

A  half-starved,  decrepit  old  man  was  pacing  up  and 
down  at  the  further  end.  On  seeing  them  he  stopped 
his  walk,  and  advanced  towards  them  with  a  courtly  bow. 

"  You  are  very  welcome,"  he  began  in  English.  "  I've 
been  expecting  you  this  week  past.  You  must  excuse 
the  unprepared  state  of  my  surroundings ;  but  I've  only 
moved  in  here  while  my  Kensington  house  is  being 
redecorated.  You  will  stay  and  take  dinner  with  me, 
of  course  T  " 

"  What  does  he  say  ? "  asked  Vargas,  who  had  no 
knowledge  of  English. 

"  He's  mad  1 — stark,  staring  mad  ! "  replied  the 
Albino. 

0  Won't  you  sit  down  ?  "  continued  their  host.  "  I 
will  ring  and  have  the  wine  put  in  ice.  By  the  way,  I 
don't  think  you  told  me  your  business;  my  memory 
is  not  what  it  was.  I  have  had  troubles — serious 
troubles." 

"That's  enough  of  that,  my  friend,"  Macklin  inter- 
posed "  Confound  your  memory  1  We  wart  that 


70  IN   STRANGE    COMPANY. 

money — the  Two  Hundred  and  Fifty  Thousand  you 
swindled  the  Kamtchatka  Bank  out  of.  If  you  want 
to  save  your  skin,  you'd  better  own  up  where  it  is,  and 
save  any  bother." 

The  ex-banker  continued  to  smile  sweetly. 

"  Ah  !  there's  a  very  good  story  connected  with  that. 
It's  going  the  round  of  the  clubs  now.  Lord  Burgoo, 
our  chairmaD,  asked  me  about  it  this  afternoon  in 
Piccadilly.  You  must  know  that  I  took  it  out  to  Chili 
to  invest  on  the  Bank's  behalf.  One  evening,  I  was 
sitting  in  my  room  in  the  Calle  de  San  Pedro,  when  a 
singularly  handsome  man  called  to  see  me.  'Mr. 
Bradshaw,'  said  he, '  I'm  sorry  to  trouble  you,  but  I've 
eome  to  play  you  a  game  of  cards  for  that  money.'  I 
had  no  objection,  of  course,  so  down  we  sat.  Eventually 
he  won,  and  I  paid  him  all  that  was  left  of  the  £250,000. 
It  was  a  good  stake,  wasn't  it  ?  " 

"  You  lie  ! "  shrieked  the  Albino,  dashing  at  him  and 
clutching  him  by  the  throat.  "  That  be  hanged  for  a 
tale.  It's  only  one  of  your  damned  dodges  to  put  us  off 
the  scent  Where  is  it  ?  Tell  me,  or  I'll  throttle  you  !" 

"  I  assure  you  it's  the  truth,"  gasped  the  unfortunate 
banker,  half  strangled.  "  I  will  even  tell  you  his 


name." 


The  Albino  withdrew  his  hand. 

*  Now,  what  was  it  ?     Quick ! " 

"  Let  me  think.  I  fancy  it  began  with  V — Veneda, 
or  some  such  name.  Of  course  I  did  not  ask,  but  he 
allowed  it  to  slip  from  him  in  his  excitement.  He 
was  a  most  gentlemanly  person,  and  interested  me 
exceedingly." 


THE   ALBINO   IS   DISAPPOINTED.  71 

"Nonsense  !  I  won't  believe  it;  he  dared  not  do  it. 
But,  Marcos  Veneda,  you  thieving  traitorous  hound,  by 
God,  if  this  be  true  it  will  prove  the  worst  day's  work 
you've  ever  done  in  your  life/' 

Then  in  Spanish  he  explained  what  had  happened  to 
Vargas,  whose  rage  was  absurdly  theatrical.  He  danced 
and  swore,  tore  his  hair  and  ground  his  teeth  in  an 
ecstasy  of  passion. 

"  Stop  that  nonsense,"  said  the  Albino.  "  We  must 
search  the  house  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  if  it's  not 
here,  find  Veneda  without  a  moment's  delay.  Now  we 
see  why  he  wanted  us  to  spare  him.  It  strikes  me 
we've  been  sold,  and  badly  too." 

Without  further  ado  they  set  to  work.  But  they 
rni^ht  have  spared  themselves  the  trouble.  The  money 
was  undoubtedly  gone — the  cache  had  been  rifled,  and 
tlie  treasure  stolen.  The  Albino's  rage  surpassed  de- 
scription ;  he  vowed  such  vengeance  against  the  traitor 
that  even  Vargas  was  overwhelmed  with  terror.  Sud- 
denly they  looked  round  for  the  banker.  He  was  not 
to  be  seen.  Taking  advantage  of  their  absence  in 
another  room,  he  had  passed  into  the  yard  and  quietly 
(quitted  the  house. 

"  Never  mind  him,"  said  Macklin,  "  he's  no  use  to  us 
now.  We  must  collect  every  man  we  can  lay  our  hands 
on,  and  search  the  town  until  we  find  Veneda.  If  he 
escapes,  I'll  be  the  deatli  of  somebody." 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   ESCAPE  FROM  CHILL 

TT  was  nearly  seven  o'clock  when  Veneda  bade  farewell 
•*-  to  the  ruins  of  the  house,  in  connection  with  which 
he  had  undergone  such  a  variety  of  experiences ;  and, 
as  I  have  already  said,  at  half-past  he  had  arranged  to 
effect  his  escape  from  Chili.  Now,  though  he  was 
aware  that  there  was  no  possible  chance  of  his  being 
able  to  get  out  of  it,  he  was  nevertheless  much  con- 
cerned about  the  wisdom  of  taking  Juanita  with  him. 
He  could  not  help  seeing  that  by  including  a  woman  in 
his  plans  he  was  hampering  his  own  freedom  of  action, 
and  thus  imperilling  his  one  chance  of  safety ;  but  on 
the  other  hand  he  could  hit  out  no  way  of  disposing  of 
her,  and  since  she  possessed  a  large  portion  of  his  secret, 
it  would  be  the  most  criminal  folly  possible  to  leave 
her  behind  to  join  the  ranks  of  those  who,  he  felt 
convinced,  would  ultimately  pursue  him  from  Chili. 
There  were,  besides,  other  and  more  cogent  reasons 
against  this  latter  course. 

Though  it  was  not  a  great  distance  to  her  abode,  it 
took  him  some  time  to  reach  it.  He  had  no  desire  to 
attract  attention  by  any  undue  hurry ;  and  for  the  same 


THK    KSi.'AI'E    FROM    CHILL  73 

reason,  when  he  did  arrive  at  the  house  he  made  no 
attempt  to  gain  admittance  until  he  had  absolutely 
convinced  himself  that  he  had  not  been  followed.  Then, 
crossing  the  patio,  he  knocked. 

Juanita  herself  opened  the  door.  When  she  realized 
who  the  visitor  was  she  uttered  a  little  cry  of  welcome, 
and  led  the  way  into  an  inner  room,  carefully  closing 
the  door  behind  them. 

"  Marcos,"  she  began,  lifting  her  clasped  hands  to  him, 
'  you  really  meant  what  you  said  last  night  ?  You  are 
here  to  take  me  away  with  you  ? " 

"  Did  you  think  I  should  break  my  promise  ? "  he 
answered  almost  angrily,  his  disappointment  at  finding 
her  unprepared  getting  the  better  of  him.  "  Why  are 
you  not  ready  ?  Every  second  is  of  the  utmost  import- 
ance to  us.  As  it  is,  we  shall  only  just  catch  the 
tide." 

"  Wait  only  a  moment  and  I  will  be  with  you ;  just 
one  little  moment." 

She  fled  the  room,  and  for  five  minutes  he  was  left 
to  his  own  thoughts.  They  were  not  pleasant,  a  con- 
suming impatience  was  upon  him.  He  knew  that  his 
very  life  depended  upon  the  next  half-hour,  and  now  it 
looked  a^  if  he  wore  about  to  lose  everything  because 
a  woman  had  misunderstood  a  plain  speech.  Every 
moment  found  him  more  and  more  an«ry.  At  length, 
unable  to  control  himself  any  longer,  he  was  in  the 
act  of  going  to  look  for  her,  when  a  heavy  footstep 
approached  the  room,  The  door  was  thrown  open  and 
a  man  entered,  clad  after  the  same  fashion  as  himsel£ 
The  behaviour  of  this  individual  was  not  conciliatory. 


74  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

Casting  a  quick  look  at  Veneda  standing  by  the 
window,  he  said  gruffly — 

"  Your  business  here,  senor  ?  * 

"  I  am  waiting  for  a  friend." 

"  The  Senora  Juanita  perhaps  ?  * 

"  Perhaps." 

"Then  you  will  wait  a  long  time,  for  she  has 
gone." 

Veneda  almost  shouted  in  his  surprise.  In  a  second 
all  sorts  of  treachery  had  flashed  through  his  brain. 

"  Gone  ! "  he  cried.  "  What  the  devil  do  you  mean  ? 
Where's  she  gone?" 

"  Who  knows  ? "  the  other  replied  airily,  giving  his 
narrow  shoulders  a  slight  shrug.  u  I  allow  it's  her  own 
business  where  she  goes,  not  mine,  thank  God." 

In  three  strides  Veneda  was  beside  him,  and  had 
clapped  a  revolver  to  his  head. 

"  Look  here,  my  uncivil  friend,"  he  said,  "  I  don't 
want  to  make  trouble  in  this  house  for  my  own  sake, 
but  if  you  don't  tell  me  what  you  know,  I  swear  I'll 
blow  your  brains  out  where  you  stand.  That's  cold- 
drawn  biz,  I  reckon." 

The  man  was  silent  for  a  moment,  then  a  nervous 
little  laugh  came  from  under  the  sombrero. 

"  Marcos,  do  you  think  I  am  well  enough  disguised  ? " 

It  was  Juanita  ! 

Veneda  could  scarcely  credit  his  senses,  the  deception 
was  so  perfect.  But  his  admiration  for  her  acting  did 
not  prevent  his  drawing  her  towards  the  door,  whisper- 
ing as  he  did  so — 

"It's  wonderful!     No  one  could  possibly  recognize 


THE   ESCAPE   FROM   CHILI.  75 

you  in  that  get-up.  Now  we  must  fairly  jump  for  the 
harbour,  or  we'll  be  too  late." 

Closing  the  front  door  on  another  incident  in  their 
iives  they  set  off  towards  the  port.  And  what  a  night 
it  was  !  All  day  long  the  city  had  been  the  scene  of 
constant  rioting,  but  now  that  darkness  had  fallen  to 
cloak  their  misdeeds,  the  mob  had  grown  proportionately 
bolder.  From  simple  exuberance  of  spirits  and  foolish 
mischief,  their  behaviour  had  become  that  of  fiends. 
Houses  had  been  and  were  still  being  looted  in  every 
street;  incendiary  fires  pierced  the  sky  in  all  directions; 
and  the  crack  of  rifles,  with  the  whine  of  bullets,  sounded 
almost  without  cessation.  Scarcely  a  street,  moreover, 
but  was  strewed  with  the  bodies  of  their  victims,  the 
greater  portion  of  which  were  women. 

Juanita's  presence  of  mind  was  little  short  of  mar- 
vellous ;  terrifying  though  the  sights  she  was  constantly 
compelled  to  witness  must  have  been  to  her,  only  once 
did  she  betray  a  sign  of  fear.  Leaving  the  street  in 
which  her  house  was  situated,  they  passed  by  a  narrow 
alley  into  another,  which  in  its  turn  led  them  into  an 
open  square.  This  it  was  unfortunately  necessary  that 
they  should  cross,  in  order  to  reach  a  thoroughfare 
leading  to  the  wharves.  No  sooner  had  they  entered 
it  than  Veneda  saw  what  a  fatal  mistake  he  had  made. 
One  glance  told  him  that  it  was  filled  with  the  lowest 
scum  of  the  Chilian  mob,  frenzied  with  debauchery 
and  incendiarism.  On  the  far  side  a  row  of  houses 
blazed  into  the  sky,  while  on  that  nearest  to  them  a 
dense  crowd  of  men  and  women,  denizens  of  the  most 
infamous  quarters,  were  dancing  the  Cueca,  or  national 


76  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

dance,  with  a  wildness  absolutely  indescribable.  Twice 
while  he  watched,  Veneda  saw  men  draw  revolvers,  and 
shoot  down  without  any  reason  save  wanton  cruelty 
the  wretched  women  who  leapt  and  gesticulated  opposite 
them. 

These  sights  were  too  much  for  Juanita.  She  tot- 
tered, and  would  have  fallen  in  a  faint,  had  not  Veneda 
passed  his  arm  beneath  her  poncho  and  sustained  her. 
Almost  beside  himself  with  despair,  he  dragged  her  into 
a  dark  alley,  and  bade  her  sit  down  and  rest  until  she 
felt  able  to  proceed.  Then  they  resumed  their  walk  at 
increased  speed.  Time  was  more  precious  to  them  now 
than  money ;  they  could  risk  no  more  delays.  It 
seemed  an  eternity  since  they  had  set  out  together ! 

But  there  was  not  much  more  before  them.  Turning 
a  corner  the  cold  sea  breeze  smote  upon  their  faces,  and 
a  moment  later  the  dark  waters  of  the  bay  confronted 
them.  Had  they  had  time,  and  been  so  inclined,  they 
might  have  stopped  to  offer  up  a  prayer  of  thankfulness 
for  their  escape;  but  as  it  was  they  contented  them- 
selves with  looking  anxiously  for  something  they  ex- 
pected to  find  awaiting  them.  Seeing  nothing,  Veneda 
gave  a  peculiar  whistle,  which,  to  his  evident  relief,  was 
instantly  answered  from  a  mass  of  deep  shadow  to  their 
left.  A  second  later  a  ship's  long-boat  came  into  the 
starlight,  and  pulled  towards  the  landing-place,  the 
man  steering  standing  up  and  peering  towards  them 
as  if  to  make  certain  of  their  identity. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  he  took  care  to  ask  before  he 
brought  the  boat  up  to  the  steps,  "and  what  do  you 
want?" 


THE   ESCAPE    FROM    CHILL  77 

*  My  name's  Venecia,"  was  the  reply,  "  and  I  want 
a  boat  from  the  Island  Queen" 

Evidently  this  answer  was  deemed  satisfactory,  for 
the  same  voice  replied — 

"  One  moment,  sir,  and  I'll  bring  her  alongside.  I've 
been  waiting  for  you  this  hour  past ;  the  tide  is  serving, 
and  the  old  man  will  murder  me  for  being  so  long." 

When  the  man  in  the  bows  had  hooked  on,  Veneda 
escorted  Juanita  down  the  steps,  and  signed  her  to 
enter  the  boat.  But  this  the  person  in  command  was 
disinclined  to  permit. 

"Excuse  me,  sir,"  he  said,  civilly  but  firmly,  "my 
instructions  were  to  bring  you  off  alone,  and  I  cannot 
include  any  one  else." 

"  Oh,  that's  all  right,  my  good  fellow,  this  gentleman 
is  a  personal  friend,  and  I  have  arranged  to  take  him 
on  board  with  me." 

"  I'm  very  sorry,  sir,  but  I  cannot  exceed  my  instruc- 
tions; will  you  be  good  enough  to  step  in  yourself? 
There's  no  time  to  waste  if  we  want  to  catch  this  tide." 

"  But  I  tell  you  my  friend  must  accompany  me," 
Veneda  answered,  at  the  same  time  stepping  into  the 
boat  himself;  "  I  will  be  responsible  to  the  captain." 

"No,  sir,  not  another  word,  I  cannot  do  it.  My 
instructions  were  most  explicit— one  gentleman,  and 
only  one  !  Jackson,  shove  off ! " 

"  Ah  I  I  see  how  it  is.  One  gentleman — exactly — 
but  nothing  was  said  about  my  wife." 

The  mate,  for  such  it  turned  out  later  ne  was 
appeared  completely  mystified. 

"  Your  wife !    Where  is  she  ?  * 


78  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"Thi»  lady  is  my  wife,"  said  Veneda,  pointing  to 
Juanita  standing  on  the  steps.  "  It  was  impossible  for 
me  to  bring  her  through  the  town  on  a  night  like  this 
in  her  own  dress,  so  to  ensure  her  safety  I  was  com- 
pelled to  make  her  wear  a  suit  of  mine.  Juanita, 
my  dear,  convince  this  gentleman  that  you  are  only 
masquerading.1' 

Her  voice  sounded  very  sweet  and  womanly  as  she 
said  in  English— 

"  Surely,  air,  you  will  believe  what  my  husband 
says?" 

The  mate  scratched  his  head.  He  was  in  a  dilemma, 
and  he  couldn't  see  his  way  out  of  it.  At  last  he  made 
up  his  mind. 

"Well,  sir,  I'll  risk  it  any  way.  Will  you  be  good 
enough  to  step  in,  ma'am  ?  I'm  sorry  to  have  made  you 
wait,  but  the  fault's  with  the  captain  for  saying  nothing 
about  your  coming." 

Entering  the  boat,  she  took  her  seat  opposite  Veneda, 
and  they  pushed  off.  Before  they  had  way  on  her,  the 
sounds  of  a  man  running  were  heard  upon  the  wharf, 
and  next  moment  a  strange  figure  came  into  view  and 
bounded  down  the  steps.  It  was  none  other  than  the 
Albino,  under  the  influence  of  extraordinary  rage ;  his 
long  white  hair  floated  in  the  wind,  his  arms  worked 
with  frantic  gesticulations,  and  his  voice  shook  with  the 
violence  of  his  passion.  Fortunately  for  the  fugitives 
he  spoke  in  Spanish,  a  language  with  which  neither 
the  mate  nor  any  of  the  boat's  crew  were  familiar.  He 
had  caught  sight  of  Veneda,  and  it  was  at  him  that  his 
torrent  of  abuse  was  directed. 


THE   ESCAPE   FROM    CHILI.  79 

"  Marcos  Veneda/'  he  cried,  shaking  his  fist  at  the 
retreating  boat,  "  thief !  traitor !  coward  ! — come  back — 
come  back,  and  give  me  what  you've  stolen  from  me !" 

But  his  wrath  was  vain ;  the  boat  by  this  time 
was  fifty  yards  from  the  steps,  and  under  the  strong 
arms  of  her  crew  was  every  moment  increasing  the 
distance. 

He  was  not,  however,  to  be  baulked;  securing 
another,  he  was  soon  in  hot  pursuit,  rowing  as  though 
his  very  life,  or  rather  £200,000,  depended  on  it. 

The  Island  Queen  lay  a  good  distance  out,  and 
when  the  boat  containing  Veneda  and  Juanita  came 
alongside,  Captain  Boulger  was  on  deck.  Hastening 
to  the  ,gangway  to  receive  his  passenger,  he  was  not  a 
little  surprised  to  see  two. 

"  I'm  right  glad  to  see  you  at  last,  Mr.  Veneda,"  he 
said.  "  Rut  I  can't  say  I  counted  on  any  one  else 
accompanying  you." 

Veneda  was  prepared  for  this,  and  he  beckoned  the 
captain  on  one  side.  A  minute  later  he  rejoined 
Juanita  with  the  information  that  the  difficulty  was 
satisfactorily  settled.  The  mate  went  forward  to  attend 
to  the  raising  of  the  anchor,  and  by  the  time  the 
Albino's  boat  was  within  hailing  distance,  the  schooner 
had  got  way  on  her,  and  was  drawing  quickly  out  of 
the  harbour. 

To  say  that  that  gentleman,  when  he  realized  his 
enemy  was  escaping  him,  was  angry,  would  be  to 
convey  a  very  false  impression  of  his  state.  He  stood 
up  in  his  boat,  foaming  at  the  mouth,  unable  to  speak, 
and  shaking  his  fist  wildly  at  the  vessel  till  she  had 


8o  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

passed  out  of  sight.  But,  though  he  was  so  overcome 
with  rage,  he  had  not  failed  to  notice  the  name  painted 
in  v/hite  letters  across  the  stern — "Island  Queen, 
Tahiti." 

It  was  some  time  before  he  felt  able  to  pull  ashore. 
But  when  he  did  so,  he  said  solemnly  to  himself — 

"  Marcos  Veneda,  I  don't  mind  owning  you're  a 
very  clecer  fellow ;  you  seem,  however,  to  have  forgot- 
ten one  thing.  You've  broken  faith  with  one  of  the 
strongest  organizations  in  the  world.  If  it  costs  that 
Society  every  cent  it's  worth,  if  it  has  to  chase  you 
round  the  world,  it  will  get  the  money  back,  and  be 
even  with  you  for  this  bit  of  treachery !" 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  'ISLAND   QUEEN/ 

FORTUNATELY  for  the  success  of  the  escape  from 
•*•  Valparaiso,  the  wind  blew  almost  a  hurricane  from 
the  schooner's  most  favourable  quarter,  and,  as  Captain 
Boulger  was  careful  to  impress  upon  his  passengers, 
"  the  Island  Qiteen  hadn't  her  equal  in  the  whole  of  the 
South  Pacific  for  foot."  (She  was  his  own  property, 
and  for  that  reason,  perhaps,  he  was  rather  inclined  to 
over-estimate  her  capabilities.)  In  the  present  instance, 
however,  she  was  called  upon  to  put  forward  all  her 
good  qualities,  for  in  spite  of  the  large  sum  it  had  cost 
Veneda  to  charter  him,  the  captain  was  fully  aware  of 
the  risk  he  had  taken  upon  himself,  and  he  had  therefore 
no  desire  that  anything  should  occur  to  impede  or  delay 
his  departure.  As  far  as  his  own  powers  went  he  had 
small  fear,  for  he  was  in  every  way  a  capable  seaman ; 
but  he  knew  that  it  required  not  only  considerable 
skill,  but  a  fair  amount  of  luck  besides,  to  manoeuvre 
successfully  out  of  such  an  admittedly  awkward  harbour 
on  a  dark  night. 

Regarded  in  cold  blood,  the  hairbreadth  escapes  of 
that  evening  read  almost  like  a  nightmare.     Twice  the 


82  IN  STRANGE   COMPANY. 

schooner  came  unpleasantly  near  colliding  with  anchored 
vessels,  and  once  they  felt  certain  they  had  attracted 
the  notice  of  a  Congressionalist  cruiser;  for  a  voice 
hailed  them  out  of  the  darkness  as  they  swept  past, 
and  receiving  no  answer  gave  utterance  to  a  succession 
of  orders,  which  were  followed  by  the  shrill  chirruping 
of  a  bosun's  pipe.  But  though  every  moment  they  ex- 
pected to  see  the  flash  of  a  gun,  nothing  occurred,  and 
in  half-an-hour  they  were  clear  of  the  land,  steering  a 
direct  course  across  the  Pacific  for  Tahiti,  vid  Pitcairn 
Island. 

Throughout  the  exit  Veneda  and  Juanita  remained 
side  by  side  on  deck,  anxiously  watching  events.  The 
experiences  they  had  lately  passed  through  supplied 
them  with  plenty  to  think  about,  while  the  repeated 
close  things  they  were  then  undergoing  served  to 
remind  them  that  they  must  not  be  in  too  great  a 
hurry  to  believe  themselves  safe.  Though  they  might 
count  themselves  almost  out  of  the  frying-pan,  there 
was  still  the  fire  yawning  to  receive  them,  and  both 
agreed  it  would  be  worse  than  death  to  be  captured 
and  taken  back  just  when  safety  seemed  within  their 
reach. 

With  the  recollection  of  the  dangers  they  had  passed 
through  came  the  remembrance  of  the  Albino  on  the 
wharf,  and  his  exhibition  of  futile  rage.  A  smile 
crossed  Veneda's  face  as  he  recalled  the  scene,  but  it 
was  instantly  obliterated  and  succeeded  by  a  scowl  as 
he  reflected  that,  in  order  to  have  been  there  at  all,  the 
dwarf  must  in  some  measure  have  become  cognizant 
of  their  plans ;  and  in  that  case  it  would  not  be  beyond 


THE    '  ISLAND   QUEEN.'  83 

the  bounds  of  possibility  to  suppose  him  aware  of  their 
destination.  The  outcome  of  these  thoughts  was  a 
serious  reflection.  Could  Juanita  be  in  league  with 
his  enemy  ?  He  asked  himself  this  question  with  a 
good  deal  of  anxiety.  That  they  had  had  dealings 
together  in  the  past  he  was  perfectly  aware;  what 
therefore  more  probable  than  that  in  such  a  gigantic 
enterprise  as  the  present,  where  such  a  fortune  was 
concerned,  she  should  deem  it  the  safest  policy  to 
stand  in  with  both  parties,  and  if  possible  to  hoodwink 
and  outwit  both  ?  With  these  thoughts  in  his  mind 
he  glanced  at  her  as  she  stood  clinging  to  the  taffrail 
by  his  side,  her  fine  figure  swaying  to  every  motion 
of  the  ship.  No ;  he  would  not  believe  it.  He  told 
himself  that,  as  far  as  beauty  went,  she  was  a  queen 
among  women,  and  that  whatever  happened  he  must 
not  let  her  suspect  he  was  anything  but  devotedly 
attached  to  her.  Meanwhile  he  would  set  his  brains 
to  work  to  devise  some  scheme  by  which  he  might  rid 
himself  of  her. 

By  this  time  only  a  few  twinkling  lights  remained  to 
them  of  Valparaiso.  The  loud  churning  of  the  water 
under  her  nose,  and  the  boiling  froth  in  her  wake, 
evidenced  the  fact  that  the  schooner  was  putting  her 
best  foot  foremost.  The  breeze  whistled  merrily,  and 
from  the  appearance  of  the  sky  there  was  every  prospect 
of  its  continuing.  Overhead  the  stars  shone  as  only 
tropic  stars  can,  and  their  myriad  radiances  were  re- 
flected in  the  coal-black  water,  till  it  had  all  the  appear- 
ance of  an  ebony  floor  powdered  with  gold-dust.  But 
they  would  not  be  reflected  there  long,  for  the  sea  was 


84  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

not  now  what  it  had  been  inside  the  bay.  A  heavy 
swell  had  set  in,  and  the  little  vessel  was  beginning  to 
roll  unpleasantly ;  so  much  so,  that  once  or  twice 
Veneda  had  to  clutch  Juanita  to  save  her  from  falling. 
Standing  side  by  side,  they  watched  the  last  signs  of 
Chili  vanish  beneath  the  waves.  As  the  land  disap- 
peared a  sudden  gust  swept  Juanita's  broad-brimmed 
hat  from  her  head  away  into  the  swirling  darkness. 

"  Come,  Juanita,"  Veneda  said,  slipping  his  arm 
through  hers  with  the  first  real  sign  of  protectorship 
he  had  shown,  "  this  is  no  place  for  you ;  let  me  help 
you  below." 

But  it  was  easier  to  talk  of  going  below  than  actually 
to  get  there ;  for  the  schooner  was  heeling  over  at  an 
angle  that  made  walking  almost  impossible.  Eventually, 
however,  with  the  assistance  of  the  mate,  who  had  taken 
charge,  to  allow  the  skipper  to  obtain  his  supper,  it  was 
accomplished,  and  the  shelter  of  the  companion  reached. 

As  they  entered  the  cuddy,  Captain  Boulger  emerged 
from  his  cabin,  and  with  a  bow  made  his  passengers 
welcome.  He  was  a  tall  man,  thin  as  a  lath,  with  a 
long,  hatchet-shaped  face,  to  which  an  idea  of  additional 
length  was  imparted  by  a  carefully-trimmed  goatee 
beard.  His  eyes,  a  peculiar  shade  of  grey,  peered  at 
one  from  beneath  enormous  bushy  eyebrows.  His 
voice  was  deep  and  rumbling,  his  utterance  slow  and 
pedantic,  and  when  he  could  think  of  nothing  to  say 
or  was  absorbed  in  anything,  it  was  his  habit  to  whistle 
quaint  almost  forgotten  hymn-tunes,  of  which  he  had 
managed  to  acquire  a  wonderful  collection. 

Juanita  was  too  much  a  woman  of  the  world  to  have 


THE    'ISLAND   QUEEN.  85 

failed  to  note  his  weak  point,  and  bearing  in  mind  the 
peculiar  nature  of  her  position  on  board  the  schooner, 
and  the  need  she  might  some  day  stand  in  of  a  friend, 
she  resolved  to  address  herself  to  his  subjugation  with- 
out unnecessary  delay.  On  his  side,  in  spite  of  her 
manly  attire,  he  could  not  but  admit  her  attractions, 
and  when  she  complimented  him  on  the  sailing  quali- 
ties of  the  Island  Queen,  she  had  laid  the  foundation  of 
his  capture. 

On  the  skipper's  return  to  the  deck,  the  mate,  whose 
name  by  the  way  was  Crawshaw  (a  Hampshire  man 
he  called  himself,  though  he  confessed  to  never  having 
been  in  England  in  Iris  life),  descended  in  search  of 
supper.  He  was  a  nice-looking  young  fellow,  well  set 
up,  very  muscular,  and  tanned  by  constant  exposure 
the  colour  of  mahogany.  Seeing  Veneda  and  Juanita 
at  the  table  he  doffed  his  cap  politely,  at  the  same  time 
jerking  out  an  embarrassed  rt  Good-evening,"  as  though 
he  had  not  seen  them  five  minutes  previously. 

"  It  seems  to  be  freshening  up,"  Veneda  remarked, 
for  the  sake  of  saying  something.  "The  schooner  rides 
easier  than  I  would  have  expected  considering  what 
she's  carrying.  By  the  way,  have  you  such  a  thing  as  a 
cabin-boy  aboard  ?  " 

Jamming  an  enormous  piece  of  salt  junk  into  his 
mouth,  Crawshaw  rose  to  his  feet,  and,  without  a  word, 
vanished  up  the  companion-ladder,  to  reappear  a  few 
minutes  later  with  a  shock-headed,  shambling  urchin, 
of  about  sixteen  years  of  age.  Cuffing  him  towards 
Veneda,  he  said  sheepishly,  as  though  ashamed  of 
possessing  so  much  knowledge — 


86  IN  STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"  His  name's  Nicodemus, — *  Old  Nick '  they  call  him 
forrard ;  he  knows  all  about  everything,  and  he's  a  son 
of  a  gun  for  laziness.  Can  I  make  him  do  anything  for 
you  ? " 

Veneda  explained  that  he  desired  to  see  and  arrange 
their  respective  cabins.  Whereupon  Crawshaw  resumed 
his  cuffing  of  the  boy,  remarking — 

"  Now,  you  young  swab,  turn  to  and  get  those  berths 
cleaned  out,  or  I'll  break  every  second  rib  in  your  body ; 
d'ye  hear  me  now  ?  " 

The  Island  Queen  boasted  four  cabins  aft,  the  dimen- 
sions of  which  were  about  half  those  of  the  smallest 
pattern  prison-cells,  and  were  evidently  intended  to  con- 
tain human  beings  of  less  than  the  average  size.  The 
captain  had  his  furthest  aft  on  the  starboard  side,  the 
mate  that  nearest  the  companion  on  the  port.  Juanita 
had  therefore  one  on  either  hand  to  choose  from.  She 
ultimately  decided  upon  that  adjoining  the  skipper's; 
Veneda  taking  the  berth  next  to  Crawshaw.  It  was  a 
fortunate  thing  for  both  of  them,  but  especially  for 
Juanita,  who  otherwise  would  have  been  compelled  to 
make  the  whole  voyage  to  Tahiti  in  man's  attire, 
that  Veneda  had  been  able  to  have  a  small  quantity  of 
luggage  conveyed  on  board.  By  the  time  her  cabin  was 
prepared,  and  her  comfort  as  far  as  possible  assured,  it 
was  nearly  eleven  o'clock,  and  she  expressed  herself 
ready  for  bed.  Bidding  her  "good-night,"  Veneda  lit 
a  cigar  in  the  cuddy  and  returned  to  the  deck. 

It  was  a  perfect  night,  with  hardly  a  cloud  visible  in 
the  whole  length  and  breadth  of  the  sky.  The  wind 
etill  blew  fresh  and  strong,  and  now  and  again  sharp 


THE    'ISLAND   QUEEN.'  87 

dashes  of  spray  rattled  on  the  deck  like  hail.  As  she 
had  everything  in  her  favour,  the  schooner's  motion 
was  comparatively  steady.  Looking  about  him,  Veneda 
spied  the  captain  leaning  against  the  taffrail ;  on  cross- 
ing, he  found  him  whistling  "The  Old  Hundredth" 
with  exceptional  fervour. 

"  A  fine  night,  Captain  Boulger,"  he  said,  proffering  a 
cigar;  "if  this  weather  continues,  we  shan't  be  long 
picking  up  Tahiti." 

"  Not  if  it  does,"  the  skipper  replied,  taking  a  squint 
aloft  at  the  bellying  canvas ; "  but  don't  you  reckon  we're 
always  going  to  be  as  lucky  as  this.  It's  not  all  plain 
sailing  across  these  waters,  especially  at  this  time  of 
year,  I  can  tell  you." 

"  Well,  at  any  rate  I  must  congratulate  you  on  the 
way  you  got  us  out  of  the  harbour ;  it  was  a  fine  bit  of 
seamanship." 

"  It's  all  very  well  for  you  to  say  so,  Mr.  Veneda,"  the 
skipper  continued,  lugubriously.  "  But  what  about  the 
next  time  I  want  to  go  into  Valparaiso ;  d'you  think 
they  won't  remember  me  for  this?  I'll  be  boycotted 
for  ever." 

"  Well,  and  if  you  are,  you've  been  well  paid  for  the 
unpleasantness,  my  friend,  so  we'll  hear  no  more  on 
that  score." 

"  And  this  lady,  your  wife  you  make  her.  Of  course 
J  don't  say  anything  about  that.  But  nothing  was 
ever  mentioned  about  females  in  the  contrac'.  How 
much  is  it  to  be  for  her  ?  " 

"  Half  as  much  as  for  myself ;  I  thought  we  were 
agreed  upon  that." 


88  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"  Well,  well,  I  suppose  it  must  be  so,  but  in  my 
opinion  it's  dirt  cheap  at  the  money.  And,  look  here, 
Mr.  Veneda,  my  mate  tells  me  something  about  a  grey- 
haired  chap  who  wanted  to  come  off  too.  Now  what 
about  him  ?  " 

"  Never  you  mind  about  him,  he  won't  trouble  you. 
We've  done  with  him  for  ever." 

"  Don't  you  be  too  sure  of  that ;  if  he  wants  you  so 
badly  that  he  had  to  pull  off  after  you,  he's  not  going 
to  let  you  slip  so  easily  ;  and  what's  more,  if  he  knows 
the  name  of  your  boat,  he'll  nail  you  by  cable  in  Tahiti 
as  soon  as  winkin'.  There  are  more  ways  of  killing  a 
cat  than  choking  him  with  butter,  Mr.  Veneda." 

"  I  don't  doubt  it,  but  as  he  doesn't  know  the  name 
of  the  boat,  by  your  own  argument  I'm  quite  safe," 
Veneda  said,  throwing  the  stump  of  his  cigar  overboard 
into  the  curdling  wake. 

"  Well,  all  I  can  say  is,  if  he  don't  know  it,  he  don't 
deserve  to." 

"  But  how  the  deuce  could  he  know  it  ?  " 

"  Why,  simply  because,  as  I  say,  he  followed  you  off," 
said  the  skipper,  with  the  superiority  of  a  man  who 
makes  a  statement  knowing  his  facts  to  be  all  right, 
"  and  because,  just  as  we'd  got  way  on  her,  he  came 
alongside  and  tried  to  hook  on.  If  she  hadn't  been 
going  too  fast  for  him,  he'd  'a  been  aboard  ;  as  it  was  he 
had  to  slip  astern." 

"And  you  think  he  read  her  name?"  Veneda 
muttered  hoarsely. 

"  O'  course  he  did.  Why,  he  couldn't  have  helped  it 
if  he  had  eyes  in  his  head  and  knew  his  letters." 


THE    'ISLAND    QUEEN/  ^D 

This  unexpected  news  so  staggered  Veneda  that  for 
a  moment  it  deprived  him  of  speech.  He  began  to 
experience  an  awful  dread,  not  of  the  discovery  of  the 
means  whereby  he  had  obtained  his  fortune,  but  of  the 
disclosure  of  the  precious  secret  which'  guarded  it. 
Instinctively  he  felt  for  the  locket  he  wore  round  his 
neck,  and  in  which  reposed  the  slip  of  paper  Juanita 
was  so  anxious  to  obtain. 

Crawling  along  the  sloping  deck  to  the  companion, 
he  proceeded  to  his  berth  below.  A  swinging  lamp  lit 
the  saloon,  and  in  a  gilt  mirror  upon  the  bulkhead  he 
caught  sight  of  his  own  face.  He  was  startled  beyond 
measure  at  its  pallor. 

"  This  won't  do,"  he  told  himself  as  he  undressed ; 
"  it's  full  early  to  be  frightened ;  besides,  who  knows  ? 
He  was  so  excited  that  it's  just  within  the  bounds  of 
possibility  he  may  not  have  read  her  name." 

But  do  what  he  would  he  could  not  divest  his  mind 
of  the  thought  that  the  Albino  was  aware  of  his  plans. 
He  had  had  good  reason  in  the  past  to  know  that  the 
dwarf  really  ruled  the  Society  of  which  they  were  both 
members,  and  remembering  his  vindictive  nature,  he 
felt  certain  that  neither  pains  nor  money  would  be 
spared  to  ensure  revenge  for  this  last  and  most  glaring 
piece  of  treachery.  Consideration  of  these  matters  kept 
him  tumbling  and  tossing  in  his  bunk  till  long  after 
midnight,  to  the  accompaniment  of  groaning  timbers, 
skurrying  rats,  and  the  crash  of  seas  against  the  slender 
hull.  When  sleep  did  overtake  him,  his  dreams  were 
troubled ;  he  imagined  himself  being  hunted  round  the 
world  by  the  Albino,  who  jumped  after  him  across  ocean* 


90  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

and  from  continent  to  continent,  and  at  last  ran  him  to 
earth  in  the  big  hall  of  his  old  familiar  English  school 
He  was  in  the  act  of  giving  him  the  locket  to  square 
matters  when  he  awoke  to  find  a  flood  of  bright  sun- 
shine streaming  in  through  the  dingy  little  disc  that 
served  him  as  a  porthole.  His  joy  at  finding  it  was 
only  a  dream  was  intense,  and  while  under  the  influence 
of  that  relief  he  dressed  and  went  on  deck,  to  find  the 
captain  once  more  on  watch  and  the  crew  busily 
engaged  in  washing  down. 

The  fresh  breeze  of  the  night  before  still  continued, 
and  if  the  foam  at  either  bow,  or  the  swirling  water 
under  the  counter  could  be  taken  as  evidence,  the  Island 
(faeen  was  making  the  most  of  it.  The  sky  was  as  blue 
and  the  sea  as  green  as  only  Pacific  skies  and  seas  can 
be,  and  against  it  the  taper  masts,  the  hard-strained 
rigging,  and  the  swelling  sails,  white  as  snow  in  the 
brilliant  sunshine,  made  up  a  picture  that  found  a  re- 
sponsive note  in  the  relief  which  filled  Veneda's  heart 
A  cheerful  smoke  issued  from  the  galley,  at  the  door  of 
which  the  shock-headed  boy,  "  Old  Nick,"  was  engaged 
cleaning  knives.  Perhaps  as  the  effect  of  the  lovely 
morning,  the  captain  showed  himself  a  little  more 
affable  than  he  had  been  on  the  previous  night.  He 
nodded  familiarly  to  his  passenger,  and  prefaced  his  con- 
versation by  inquiring,  with  a  peculiar  sort  of  courtesy, 
after  his  wife's  health.  Further  conversation  on  that 
subject,  however,  was  put  a  stop  to  by  the  appearance 
of  the  lady  herself  once  more  clad  in  the  garments  of 
her  sex. 

As  she  emerged  from  the  companion,  Venecia  hastened 


THE    '  ISLAND    QUEEN.'  91 

forward  to  receive  her,  and  when  she  had  recognized  the 
captain's  presence  they  fell  to  promenading  the  deck 
together.  Fortunately  she  was  an  excellent  sailor,  and 
the  bright  fresh  morning  and  the  brisk  breeze  brought 
a  colour  into  her  cheeks  that  made  her,  so  Veneda  could 
not  help  owning  to  himself,  more  than  usually  lovely. 
For  half  a  moment  he  wondered  why  he  should  not 
trust  her,  and  the  temptation  came  upon  him  to  forget 
his  original  intentions  and  to  embody  this  splendid 
creature  in  his  plans  for  the  future.  She  was  fitted  to 
adorn  any  station  in  life,  he  told  himself.  But  then, 
certain  episodes  in  her  past  history  obtruded  themselves 
upon  his  recollection,  and  he  was  compelled  to  admit 
that  such  a  thing  must  not  be  dreamt  of  for  an 
instant. 

But  if  a  life's  partnership  were  impossible,  it  was  at 
least  very  pleasant  to  skim  over  summer  seas  in  the 
company  of  one  so  evidently  intended  by  nature  to  be 
all  that  was  charming  and  agreeable  to  man.  And 
indeed  Juanita  exerted  herself  prodigiously  to  please, 
so  much  so,  that  before  they  had  been  a  week  upon 
the  voyage  Veneda  had  once  more  entertained  serious 
thoughts  of  casting  his  previous  apprehensions  to  the 
winds  and  risking  everything.  Her  behaviour  was 
certainly  calculated  to  disarm  suspicion.  Never,  by 
even  as  much  as  a  hint,  did  she  lead  him  to  suppose 
that  she  was  in  any  way  desirous  of  learning  his  secret. 
Her  trust  in  him  was  the  only  thing  self-evident,  and 
even  this  she  was  too  clever  to  exaggerate.  Only  once 
did  she  refer,  and  that  indirectly,  to  the  treasure  which 
waft  the  sole  inducement  of  their  flight,  and  I  have  often 


92  IN   STRANGE   COMPAOT. 

thought  that  that  conversation  was  as  strange  as 
anything  connected  with  that  extraordinary  voyage. 

It  originated  in  this  way.  They  were  leaning  over 
the  taffrail,  watching  for  the  rising  of  the  moon.  The 
schooner,  racing  along  over  the  curling  seas  under 
reefed  canvas,  seemed  like  a  thing  of  life.  Her  can- 
vas towered  aloft  into  the  ghostly  darkness,  and  the 
wind  in  the  rigging  and  the  drum  of  the  seas  against 
the  hull  were  the  only  things  that  could  be  heard. 
The  mate,  Crawshaw,  patrolled  the  opposite  side  of  the 
deck  with  the  regularity  of  a  pendulum. 

Juanita  had  been  peculiarly  quiet  all  the  evening, 
out  of  which  state  Veneda  had  in  vain  tried  to  rally  her. 

"Marcos,"  she  said  suddenly  in  Spanish,  nestling 
closer  to  his  side,  "  does  it  ever  occur  to  you  to  wish  you 
had  left  me  behind  in  Valparaiso  ? " 

"Why,  what  on  earth  makes  you  ask  such  a  ques- 
tion ?  "  he  replied.  "  Do  you  think  I  should  grow  tired 
of  you  so  soon  ?  " 

"  So  soon ! "  she  answered,  looking  up  into  his  face, 
*  You  have  had  me  with  you  a  fortnight  now,  and 
there  is  not  much  variety  on  board  a  boat  the  size  of 
the  Island  Queen.  I  should  not  be  at  all  surprised  if 
you  said  you  were  tired  of  my  company." 

"  Well,  I  am  not.     So  that  settles  it,  doesn't  it  I " 

"  Marcos,  why  did  you  not  let  us  go  to  England  in 
a  mail-boat  ?  It  would  surely  have  been  quicker  and 
safer?" 

"Because  in  that  case  Macklin  could  not  help  but 
have  discovered  our  departure,  and  we  should  have 
been  followed,  if  not  murdered — that's  why." 


THE    'ISLAND    QUEEN.'  93 

"  And  now  ?  " 

"Now  no  one  knows  our  whereabouts;  we  can 
choose  our  own  route  when  we  leave  Tahiti." 

"  And  which  way  will  it  be,  Marcos  ?  n 

11 1  have  not  decided  yet/1 

She  was  silent  for  a  minute  or  two.  Then  she  said 
slowly,  still  keeping  her  eyes  fixed  on  him — 

"  I  think  I  understand.  You  have  decided,  but  you 
dare  not  trust  me." 

His  first  and  most  natural  impulse  was  to  deny  the 
accusation.  But  on  second  thoughts  he  adopted  an- 
other course. 

"  You  are  quite  right,"  he  said  with  a  laugh,  "  I  cer- 
tainly do  not  trust  you.  And  what  is  perhaps  more  to 
the  point,  I  don't  intend  to.  All  things  considered,  I 
don't  think  you  have  the  right  to  blame  me." 

With  a  little  laugh,  and  without  a  sign  of  vexation  in 
her  tone,  she  answered,  "  Perhaps  you're  right.  At  any 
rate,  you're  wiser  than  I  am  in  such  matters." 

Then  taking  his  arm,  they  returned  to  their  constitu- 
tional up  and  down  the  deck,  just  as  if  nothing  out  of 
the  common  had  occurred. 

And  so  day  by  day  sped  by,  glorious  weather,  smooth 
seas,  blue  skies,  and  fair  winds  accompanying  them.  It 
vyas  more  like  a  pleasure  trip  than  a  flight  for  life. 
Captain  Boulger  improved  upon  acquaintance,  and  even 
the  mate,  Crawshaw,  rubbed  off  some  of  his  angles  as 
they  grew  to  know  him  better. 

Three  weeks  almost  to  a  Jay  after  dropping  Pitcairn 
behind  them,  they  were  on  the  fringe  of  the  Society 
Islands ;  and  at  Papeete  tb  e  captain  proposed  to  touch, 


94  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

to  obtain  supplies.  His  passengers,  he  knew,  though 
grudging  the  delay,  would  not  be  sorry  for  an  op- 
portunity to  stretch  their  legs;  for  the  size  of  the 
schooner  did  not,  necessarily,  permit  much  pedestrian 
exercise. 

One  morning,  coming  on  deck,  Crawshaw  called 
Veneda  to  his  side,  and  pointed  to  a  low  smudge 
showing  faintly  on  the  horizon. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  the  other  asked. 

"Tahiti,"  was  the  reply,  and  with  the  word,  like 
the  opening  of  a  mill-sluice,  Veneda's  old  anxieties 
rushed  back  upon  him.  In  an  hour  or  two  he  would 
know  whether  or  not  the  Albino  was  aware  of  his 
destination. 

By  breakfast-time  they  were  closing  up  on  it.  The 
high  mountain  peaks  had  risen  well  above  the  horizon, 
and  from  being  a  simple  blotch  upon  the  clear-cut  sea- 
line,  the  land  had  developed  a  decided  personality  of  its 
own.  An  hour  later  they  were  close  enough  to  it  to 
be  able  to  plainly  distinguish  objects  on  shore,  and  were 
prepared  to  catch  the  first  view  of  Papeete. 

By  mid-day  they  were  abreast  of  the  entrance  to 
Papeete  harbour,  looking  across  the  reef  with  its  thun- 
iering  surf  to  where  the  quaint  little  town  lay  nestling 
among  the  trees.  As  soon  as  they  were  sighted  the  pilot 
put  off,  and  upon  his  gaining  the  deck  the  work  of  enter- 
ing the  harbour  was  proceeded  with.  Once  they  were 
inside  and  at  a  standstill,  Veneda  and  Juanita  departed 
ashore  in  search  of  luncheon.  It  was  a  new  sensation  for 
them  to  wander  about  together  as  strangers  in  a  strange 
place,  and  Veneda  watched  to  see  what  effect  it  would 


THK    '  ISLAND    QUEEN.'  95 

have  upon  his  companion.  She  had  lost  something  of 
her  yivacity,  and  was  inclined  to  be  more  wrapt  up  in 
her  own  thoughts  than  was  usual  with  her. 

Those  who  know  Tahiti  will  know  Charons  (or  the 
hostelry  disguised  under  that  name),  and  those  who 
know  Charons  will  remember  Alphonse,  the  most 
obsequious  of  gar^ons,  with  his  accumulated  knowledge 
of  traders  and  their  schooners,  missionaries,  pilots, 
copra  merchants,  and  all  manner  of  strange  beings 
and  things  appertaining  to  those  delightful  seas. 
Therefore,  when  I  say  that  Veneda  and  Juanita  were 
fortunate  enough  to  secure  the  corner  table  in  the 
big  room,  and  the  services  of  that  indefatigable  person, 
I  am,  as  you  will  agree,  ensuring  them  the  pleasantest 
of  times.  With  palates  improved  by  the  simple  fare 
of  the  Island  Queen,  they  investigated  every  course, 
enjoyed  some  excellent  wine,  trifled  with  dessert,  and 
when  they  had  drunk  their  coffee,  proceeded  to  stretch 
their  legs  along  the  beautiful  Broom  Road. 

It  was  a  most  luxurious  day ;  a  soft  breeze  played 
in  fitful  gusts  among  the  tropic  foliage,  bearing  upon 
its  breast  a  thousand  gentle,  and  to  our  travellers 
unaccustomed,  odours.  There  was  only  one  blot  upon 
it ;  since  his  last  glass  of  champagne,  Veneda  felt 
strangely  sleepy,  so  much  so,  that  when  they  had 
walked  but  a  little  way  he  expressed  a  wish  to  be 
allowed  to  sit  down  and  admire  the  view.  Nothing 
loth,  Juanita  consented,  so  down  they  sat  awhile, 
talking,  and  gazing  upon  the  panorama  of  sea  and 
islands  stretched  before  them.  Her  voice  sounded 
wonderfully  soothing  as  he  listened,  and  bit  by  bit  he 


96  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

found  this  mysterious  desire  for  sleep  overcoming  him. 
His  head  gradually  sought  a  pillow  by  her  side,  hii 
eyes  closed,  and  in  less  than  five  minutes  he  was 
unconscious. 

Now  Juanita,  who  had  by  no  means  been  unmindful 
of  his  state  (nor  am  I  prepared  to  authoritatively  state 
that  she  had  not,  in  some  measure,  been  the  occasion 
of  it),  was  too  precipitate  for  her  own  safety.  Such 
was  her  impatience  that,  without  waiting  to  make 
certain  that  he  was  sound  asleep,  she  must  needs 
commence  her  search  for  the  mysterious  locket  round 
his  neck,  which  contained,  she  was  convinced,  the  paper 
she  was  so  desperately  anxious  to  obtain.  Perhaps 
in  her  hurry  her  touch  was  too  rough,  or  Veneda  was 
not  so  much  overpowered  with  slumber  as  she 
imagined;  at  any  rate,  just  as  she  had  the  precious 
locket  in  her  hand,  and  was  about  to  broach  its 
contents,  his  eyes  opened,  and  his  hands  closed  on  hers. 
Awkward  as  the  situation  was,  her  presence  of  mind 
never  deserted  her,  and  she  prepared  to  laugh  it  off 
with  the  excuse  she  had  prepared  beforehand. 

"Ah!  my  Marcos,"  she  said  jestingly,  "it  is  well 
that  you  woke  ;  for  I  am  going  to  be  furiously  jealous. 
And  pray  what  fair  lady's  portrait  do  you  wear  round 
your  neck  ?  " 

For  the  moment  Veneda  was  too  amazed  at  her  cool- 
ness to  reply ;  then  he  replaced  the  locket,  and  assuming 
a  pensive  air,  said — 

"  You  may  be  as  jealous  of  her  as  you  please.  That 
is  my  poor  mother's  miniature ;  the  only  remembrance 
I  have  of  her.  I  will  show  H  to  you  this  evening,  if 


THE    'ISLAND   QUEEN.  97 

you  would  care  to  see  it  Now  we  must  be  getting 
back  to  the  schooner." 

His  explanation  was  so  simple  and  sincere  that  she 
was  baffled  completely.  If  he  were  telling  the  truth 
her  surmises  must  be  all  wrong  ;  if  not,  she  had  put 
him  on  his  guard  for  the  future. 

But  though  he  allowed  no  sign  to  escape  him  to 
show  that  he  understood  her  attempt,  he  was  none  the 
less  concerned  about  it. 

"  I  was  more  than  a  fool,"  he  said  to  himself  when 
he  was  alone  in  his  cabin,  "  to  imagine  that  she  could 
be  anything  but  what  I  had  always  thought  her. 
However,  Madame  Juanita,  the  game  is  by  no  means 
finished  yet.  There  is  an  old  saying  that  those  laugh 
best  who  laugh  last.  We  shall  see." 

Next  morning  at  daylight  the  Island  Queen  bade 
farewell  to  Tahiti. 

As  soon  as  it  was  open,  a  stranger,  who  had  arrived 
in  the  island  from  South  America  the  previous  week, 
sought  the  telegraph  office,  and  placed  the  following 
message  upon  the  counter — 

"John  Macklin, 

General  Post  Offing 

Sydney,  #.&  W. 

"Island  Queen  sailed  this  morning.  Destination 
Thursday  Island.  Bo4,h  on  board." 


CHATTER  VH 

THE    MAN'S    DEATH. 

TTTHEN,  after  leaving  Papeete,  Veneda  came  to  con- 
sider the  facts  connected  with  his  excursion  ashore, 
he  could  not  help  seeing  two  things  very  clearly.  In 
the  first  place,  he  was  quite  convinced  in  his  own  mind 
that,  to  obtain  the  information  she  wanted,  Juanita 
had  drugged  the  champagne  he  had  drunk  at  lunch  ;  but 
in  the  second,  though  he  was  loth  to  let  her  treachery 
pass  unpunished,  he  could  not  but  tell  himself  that 
it  would  be  a  most  foolish  proceeding  on  his  part  to 
allow  her  to  suspect  that  he  considered  it  of  sufficient 
importance  to  make  a  fuss  about.  To  confess  annoy- 
ance would  be  to  admit  that  the  locket  contained  what 
she  was  in  search  of,  and  this  he  was,  naturally,  most 
anxious  not  to  do.  One  thing  was  very  certain,  the 
situation  was  becoming  more  and  more  complicated 
every  day;  for  each  twenty-four  hours  was  bringing 
them  nearer  to  civilization,  and  once  there  the  diffi- 
culties of  his  position  would  be  intensified  a  hundred- 
fold. If  Juanita  were  really  in  collusion  with  the 
Albino,  it  was  most  imperative  that  she  should  be 
outwitted,  and  that  within  the  next  fortnight.  But 


THE    MAN'S    DKATH.  99 

though  he  racked  his  brains  day  and  night  for  a 
scheme,  he  could  not  hit  upon  one  that  was  in  any 
way  likely  to  prove  successful. 

Their  course  now  lay  almost  due  west,  and  though 
they  had  land  on  every  side,  it  was  far  from  likely 
that  they  would  touch  anywhere  until  they  reached 
Thursday  Island,  where  Captain  Boulger's  contract 
ended.  It  was  Veneda's  indention  to  leave  the  schooner 
at  that  place,  and  to  intercept  a  British  India  mail-boat 
homeward  bound. 

If  the  voyage  had  been  enjoyable  before,  it  became 
doubly  so  now;  warm,  sunny  days,  bright  blue  skies, 
sapphire  seas,  and  the  most  exquisite  island  scenery 
in  the  world  kept  them  company  continually.  The 
Society  group  lay  far  behind  them ;  the  Navigators 
were  on  the  starboard  bow  ;  while  Hope,  Keppel  and 
Tafahi,  or  Boscawen  peered  up,  surf-girt,  away  to  port. 
Had  it  not  been  for  the  friction  which  suddenly 
occurred  between  the  captain  and  Veneda,  it  would 
have  been  like  a  little  heaven  on  shipboard.  But  if 
the  captain  and  his  chief  passenger  could  not  agree, 
the  same  could  not  be  said  of  the  two  passengers 
themselves,  whose  behaviour  towards  each  other  grew 
more  and  more  affectionate  as  the  owner  of  the 
schooner's  animosity  deepened. 

All  past  troubles  and  doubts  seemed  as  much 
forgotten  as  though  they  had  never  existed.  They 
arranged  their  future  with  untrammelled  freedom,  and 
even  went  so  far  as  to  discuss  what  they  should  do 
with  the  money  when  they  had  possession  of  it 
Juanita's  suspicions  were  completely  allayed.  Though 


100  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

she  demoted  considerable  thought  to  the  matter,  she 
was  as  far  from  understanding  it  as  ever.  She  could 
only  attribute  the  change  to  the  fact  that  her  com- 
panion had  at  last  really  fallen  under  the  spell  of  her 
fascinations. 

But  on  the  evening  of  the  day  upon  which  they 
sighted  Fotuna,  or  Home  Island,  as  it  is  more  usually 
called,  an  awful  and  unexpected  event  occurred, 
which  was  destined  to  bring  about  as  complete  a 
revolution  in  their  plans  as  even  Veneda  could  wish. 

The  breeze,  which  had  been  very  uncertain  through- 
out the  afternoon,  at  night  dropped  to  the  faintest 
zephyr.  The  peacefulness  of  the  evening  was  awe- 
inspiring;  the  ocean  lay  smooth  as  a  sheet  of  glass, 
rising  and  falling  like  the  breast  of  a  sleeping  child. 
The  sails  hung  limp  and  listless,  and  the  man  at  the 
wheel,  one  Schlank,  a  big,  burly,  taciturn  German,  had 
barely  enough  work  upon  his  hands  to  keep  him  awake. 
The  mate  was  in  charge  of  the  deck,  the  captain  and 
passengers  being  below  at  tea. 

According  to  Crawshaw's  account  he  had  gone 
forward  to  give  an  order  to  the  cook,  and  when  he 
returned  it  was  to  discover  the  German  away  from  the 
wheel,  rolling  to  and  fro  upon  the  deck,  retching  in  a 
terrible  manner,  and  nearly  black  in  the  face.  Not 
knowing  what  to  make  of  it,  he  called  a  couple  of 
hands  aft  and  bade  them  carry  the  unfortunate  man 
to  his  bunk,  while  he  himself  hailed  the  captain 
through  the  skylight,  and  took  possession  of  the 
wheel. 

When  Bouiger  reached  the  deck  he  hastened  forward 


THE   MAN'S   DEATH.  101 

to  eximirie.  the  man  himself,  but  he  was  too  late— 
Schlank  was  dead  / 

What  the  nature  of  the  disease  was,  which  had 
ca.Tied  him  off,  no  c  ne  could  tell,  but  that  its  effects 
were  deadly  iu  the  extreme  was  evidenced  by  the 
suddenness  with  which  it  worked  its  purpose ;  for, 
according  to  his  shipmates'  account,  the  man  was  in 
the  best  of  health  when  he  went  aft  to  the  wheel  an 
hour  before. 

This  sad  occurrence,  as  might  be  expected,  threw  a 
gloom  over  the  entire  ship,  and  both  Juanita  and 
Veneda  felt  little  touches  of  nervousness  when  they 
allowed  their  minds  to  dwell  upon  it.  Lest  any  infec- 
tion should  be  caught  from  the  body,  the  captain  gave 
orders  that  it  should  be  committed  to  the  deep  as  soon 
as  a  hammock  and  the  necessary  preparations  could  be 
made. 

Next  morning,  to  every  one's  consternation,  news 
came  aft  that  Jacob  Norris,  another  hand,  had  been 
struck  down  by  the  same  mysterious  complaint.  The 
symptoms  were  identical  with  Schlank's  case,  and  it 
appeared  as  if  no  remedy  could  be  found  in  the  ship's 
meagre  medicine-chest  to  either  alleviate  the  pain  or 
to  avert  the  disastrous  consequences.  Within  an  hour 
of  being  taken  ill  the  second  man  was  dead  and 
overboard  I 

Then  an  awful  terror  took  possession  of  everybody, 
and  ominous  mutterings  of  "Cholera"  and  "Yellow 
Jai.-k "  passed  from  mouth  to  mouth.  Hitherto  the 
disease  seemed  to  have  confined  itself  to  the  forecastle, 
but  it  was  not  to  remain  there  long,  for  in  the  middle 


102  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

of  his  afternoon  watch  Crawshaw  the.  mate  was 
attacked.  Veneda,  who  happened  to  be  on  deck  at 
the  time,  saw  him  drop  and  ran  to  his  assistance. 
Picking  him  up  he  carried  him  forrard  and  laid  him 
on  the  hatch,  at  the  same  time  sending  a  hand  to  rouse 
the  captain.  The  poor  fellow's  agony  was  heart- 
rending, and  in  spite  of  all  the  remedies  tried  he  too 
succumbed  within  the  hour. 

After  this  the  consternation  aboard  the  Island  Queen 
may  be  better  imagined  than  described.  Every  one 
went  in  fear  and  trembling,  for  no  one  knew  who 
might  not  be  the  next  attacked. 

About  nine  o'clock  that  evening  Juanita  and  Veneda 
were  on  deck.  As  on  the  preceding  night,  a  wonderful 
stillness  reigned.  In  the  east  the  stars  were  beginning 
to  pale,  preparatory  to  the  rising  of  the  moon.  The 
bo'sun,  who  had  succeeded  to  poor  Crawshaw's  watch, 
was  pacing  to  and  fro  near  the  binnacle,  casting  an  eye 
ever  and  anon  aloft  and  around  him,  as  if  in  anticipation 
of  a  breath  of  wind. 

Veneda  and  Juanita  promenaded  for  awhile,  and 
then  crossed  to  the  taffrail,  against  which  they  leant, 
conversing  in  low  tones.  In  spite  of  the  terrors  of  the 
day  Veneda  was  in  unusually  good  spirits.  He  rallied 
Juanita  upon  her  quietness,  and  once  more  broached 
the  subject  of  their  future.  Speaking  softly  so  that  the 
man  at  the  wheel  should  not  overhear  them,  he  said — 

"Juanita,  my  darling,  our  voyage  is  nearly  ended; 
are  you  satisfied  ? " 

She  was  quick  to  reply,  and  her  voice  had  almost  a 
tremor  in  it. 


THE    MAN'S   DEATH.  103 

"More  than  satisfied,  Marcos,  if  you  love  me  as 
you  say." 

"  Are  you  sure,  Juanita  ?  Think  before  you  answer. 
Would  you  be  content  to  take  me  for  what  I  am  ? — to 
risk  poverty  with  me  if  that  fortune  should  be  gone 
when  we  get  to  London?" 

She  hardly  knew  how  to  reply.  Was  this  a  trap? 
she  asked  herself.  Slipping  her  hand  over  his  with 
a  gentle  pressure,  she  said^ 

"  Quite  content,  if  you  love  me  as  I  must  be  loved. 
But  why  do  you  speak  as  if  our  money  should  be  gone  ?  " 

"  Because  nothing  is  safe.  I  think  it  is — you  think 
it  is ;  but  if  you  found  out  my  secret,  why  shouldn't  the 
Albino  have  boxed  it  out  and  anticipated  us,  eh  ?  " 

In  reality  he  was  not  thinking  anything  of  the  kind ; 
he  was  telling  himself  that  the  peculiar  note  in  her 
voice  when  she  referred  to  the  money  was  not  quite 
what  it  should  have  been  at  the  moment  of  his  declara- 
tion of  love.  In  spite  of  her  cleverness,  it  evidenced 
what  lay  uppermost  in  her  mind.  But  he  was  not 
going  to  betray  that  he  had  noticed  anything. 

While  they  talked  the  moon  rose,  and  lent  a 
wondrous  beauty  to  the  night,  sweeping  the  stars  from 
the  sky  as  if  by  magic,  and  turning  the  sombre  water 
into  the  likeness  of  a  silver  sea.  The  white  and  idle 
canvas  threw  strange  shadows  upon  the  decks,  and  with 
the  moon's  coming  a  light  breeze  stole  across  the 
surface  of  the  deep,  so  that  the  schooner  began  to  draw 
a  little  faster  through  the  water.  The  bo'sun  turned 
on  his  heel,  and  came  aft  to  where  the  other  two  were 
standing. 


104  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

"  Nice  evenin',"  he  said,  by  way  of  introduction ;  "  the 
moon  there  makes  it  real  pleasant  on  deck,  don't  it  ? 
You'll  excuse  me,  sir,  but  maybe  you  don't  happen  to 
have  a  chaw  of  tobacco  about  you  ?  " 

Veneda  gave  him  a  piece,  at  the  same  time  asking  if 
there  was  any  further  sign  of  sickness  forrard.  The 
bos'un  did  not  think  so,  and  casting  an  eye  aloft  at  the 
canvas  now  beginning  to  fill,  and  then  at  the  compass 
card,  prepared  to  air  his  theory  of  the  malady. 

"  It's  my  belief,"  he  said,  expectorating  vigorously 
over  the  side,  "  that  it's  no  more  nor  less  than  pison, — 
fish-pisoning,  I  reckon  it.  Don't  you  tell  me  that 
cholera  or  Yellow  Jack's  a-goin'  to  come  aboard  this 
while  out  o'  port — not  it !  Now,  I  mind  a  case  once, 
where  a  schooner's  crew  mutinied  ten  days  out  from 
Sydney,  their  tucker  not  bein'  good  enough  for  'em 
forrard.  What  must  they  do,  when  they'd  got  rid  of 
the  old  man  and  the  mate  overboard,  but  break  open 
the  lazarette,  and  set  to  work  on  all  the  tinned  fish 
they  could  lay  their  hands  on  ! " 

"  What  was  the  result  ?  "  Veneda  asked  carelessly. 

"  Why,  that  inside  of  three  hours  every  mother's  son 
o'  that  blamed  crew  was  lyin'  a-rollin'  an'  a-kickin' 
about  the  deck  o'  that  schooner,  turnin'  black  in  the 
face,  and  lookin*  for  all  the  world  as  if  they  had 
swallowed  half-a-pint  o'  pison  apiece.  When  they  was 
picked  up  by  a  man-o'-war,  there  was  only  one  on  'em 
left  to  tell  the  tale,  and  he  wouldn't  ha'  been  there  but 
for  not  bein'  hungry  that  night  having  started  on 
cuddy  bread,  which  is  good  an'  filiiri'  at  the  price." 

"  And  what  makes  you  think,"  asked  Juanita,  "  that 


THE    MAN'S    DEATH.  105 

the  men  on  this  ship  have  been  poisoned  ?     Have  they 
eaten  such  fish  as  you  describe  ?  " 

"  Well  now,  there  you  have  me,  ma'am ;  I  don't  know 
as  they  have,  but  maybe  it  ain't  fish  this  time,  maybe 
it's  somethin'  else  just  as  bad.  For  my  part,  I " 

At  this  moment  the  captain  appeared  on  deck  to 
relieve  the  bos'un.  who,  bidding  them  "  good-night,"  went 
forrard.  Veneda  had  grown  suddenly  silent,  and  when 
he  had  ensconced  Juanita  in  a  sheltered  spot  (for  the 
wind  was  beginning  to  freshen),  fell  to  pacing  the  deck 
as  if  he  had  something  upon  his  mind.  Once  he 
stopped  and  spoke  in  a  low  voice  to  the  captain ;  then 
he  resumed  his  tramp,  pausing  now  and  again  to  lean 
against  the  bulwark  arid  scan  the  moon-lit  sea.  About 
four  bells  (ten  o'clock),  Juanita  declared  her  intention 
of  going  below,  and  lie  assisted  her  down  the  gangway. 
As  he  bade  her  good-night,  she  was  struck  by  the 
change  that  had  come  over  his  face ;  he  was  deathly 
pale,  and  his  eyes  had  a  look  that  was  very  foreign  to 
their  usual  state. 

"Marcos,"  she  said  anxiously,  steadying  herself 
against  the  cuddy  table,  "  there's  something  the  matter 
with  you;  for  heaven's  sake  take  medicine  at  once; 
your  face  frightens  me.  Don't  delay  an  instant  I  Oh  ! 
if  anything  should  happen  to  you  now  I " 

He  laughed,  and  said  huskily — 

"  Do  you  think  you  would  care,  my  beauty  ?  I  rather 
doubt  it."  (Here  he  caught  sight  of  his  face  in  the 
glass.)  "  My  God,  but  my  face  is  bad  though.  I'll  go 
and  consult  the  skippi-r." 

He  turned  towards  the  companion,  but  he  was  unablt 


106  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

to  reach  it.  He  tottered,  stretched  his  hands  out  feeblj 
for  the  bulkhead,  missed  it,  and  fell  prone  upon  the 
cuddy  floor.  With  a  scream  Juanita  sprang  past  him, 
and  dashed  up  on  deck.  The  skipper  was  beside  the 
binnacle. 

"  Oh,  captain  ! "  she  cried, "  come  quickly ;  he's  dying, 
he's  dying  I " 

It  did  not  take  the  captain  long  to  understand  to 
whom  she  referred;  the  words  were  hardly  uttered 
before  he  had  passed  the  order  for  the  bos'un  to  come  aft 
and  take  charge,  and  was  down  in  the  cuddy,  kneeling 
beside  the  sick  man.  The  mysterious  disease  had  found 
another  victim. 

Veneda's  face  was  distorted  almost  beyond  recognition; 
his  limbs  were  strangely  twisted  and  cramped ;  his 
breath  came  in  great  gasps ;  only  his  skin  retained  its 
extraordinary  pallor.  Juanita  understood  the  captain 
to  say  that  the  symptoms  were  the  same  as  in  each  of 
the  previous  cases. 

Between  them  they  carried  him  to  his  bunk. 

"  Now,  ma'am,"  said  Boulger,  turning  to  Juanita, 
"  I'm  sorry,  but  I'll  just  have  to  trouble  you  to  go  to 
your  own  berth  for  a  while.  I  can't  have  you  run- 
ning any  risks  here.  Mr.  Veneda's  quite  safe  in  my 
hands,  and  I'll  let  you  know  from  time  to  time  how 
he  gets  on." 

But  this  was  not  in  the  least  to  her  taste.  She  was 
not  prepared  to  let  any  one  else  pry  into  her  private 
concerns. 

"  Oh,  Captain  Boulger,"  she  began,  throwing  all  the 
sweetness  she  could  muster  into  her  voice  and  looks, 


THE   MAN'S  DEATH.  107 

"  it's  inhuman  to  think  that  I  can  remain  away  from 
him ;  you  cannot  expect  it ;  let  me  help  you  with  him. 
I'll  be  as  patient  and  quick  as  possible,  and  I've  had 
some  experience  in  nursing — I  really  have." 

"  No,  no,  ma'am,  I'd  like  to,  but  I  can't  allow  it," 
Boulger  replied,  "  it  wouldn't  be  fair  to  ask  me.  What 
this  devilish  disease  may  be  is  more  than  I  can  tell, 
but  as  it's  certain  there's  infection  in  it,  I  can't  let 
any  risks  be  run.  Now,  do  go  ;  you're  only  hindering 
me,  and  I  must  be  looking  after  him,  poor  chap ;  he 
wants  all  the  attention  I  can  give  him." 

After  this  there  was  nothing  for  her  but  to  submit, 
and  I  must  do  her  the  justice  to  admit  that  she  did  it 
with  as  good  grace  as  possible. 

In  the  security  of  her  cabin  a  vague  terror  seized 
her.  What  if  Veueda  should  die,  and  the  locket  be 
cast  into  the  sea  with  him  ?  The  thought  almost  took 
her  breath  away.  Come  what  might,  she  must  have  a 
few  moments  alone  with  the  sick  man,  or,  in  the  event 
of  his  death,  with  his  body. 

True  to  his  word,  at  regular  intervals,  hour  after  hour, 
the  skipper  presented  himself  at  her  door  with  the 
latest  bulletins  of  his  patient's  condition.  "  Just  a  leetle 
better" — "Just  so  so" — "Not  much  change" — "Seems  a 
bit  weaker" — "Another  awful  attack,"  was  the  order 
in  which  they  ran.  On  hearing  the  last  she  broke  down 
completely,  and  for  some  reason  which  I  am  unable  to 
explain,  fell  to  sobbing  as  if  her  heart  would  break. 

Suddenly  a  strange  craving  came  over  her,  and  rising 
from  her  bunk  she  procured  and  propped  her  crucifix 
against  the  tiny  wash-hand  basin,  and  kneeling  on  the 


108  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

sloping  floor  before  it,  endeavoured  to  frame  a  prayei 
for  the  passing  of  the  man's  soul.  Her  long  black  hair 
hung  in  glorious  profusion  about  her  shoulders ;  tears 
streamed  down  her  pallid  cheeks ;  and  her  lips  contin^ 
ually  faltered  over  the  words  she  tried  to  utter.  When 
she  had  finished,  her  spirits  recovered,  and  crawli*^ 
back  into  her  bed,  she  fell  asleep. 

It  was  long  after  daybreak  before  she  awoke.  The 
sun  was  shining  brightly  through  the  porthole  above 
her  bunk,  and  from  the  angle  at  which  the  schooner 
was  lying,  she  knew  a  fresh  breeze  must  be  blowing. 

Urged  by  a  great  anxiety  to  learn  the  latest  news  of 
Veneda's  state,  she  dressed  with  all  the  haste  she  could 
command,  and  passed  into  the  cuddy.  As  she  entered 
it,  the  captain  emerged  from  the  berth  opposite  and 
greeted  her  with  a  mournful  face.  She  divined  the 
worst. 

"  You're  going  to  tell  me  that  he  is  dead,"  she  said, 
clutching  at  the  table. 

"  Ma'am,  it's  a  thing  which  must  come  sooner  or 
later  to  all  of  us.  I  won't  deceive  you — he  is  dead — 
passed  away  in  the  hope  of  a  glorious  resurrection, 
twelve  minutes  afore  three  bells  in  this  morning's 
watch.  Now,  don't  take  on  about  it  too  much,  there's 
a  good  girl,  for  he's  better  as  he  is  than  suffering  the 
agonies  he  went  through  all  night.  You  couldn't  wish 
it,  I  know." 

"  Dead  !  dead  I "  was  all  she  could  say.  It  seemed 
impossible  that  it  could  be  true.  The  news  stunned 
her.  Though  she  had  expected  and  dreaded  the  worst, 
she  had  no  idea  that  it  would  have  come  so  soon.  What 


THE   MAN'S   DEATH.  109 

should  she  do  now  ?  In  spit*  of  her  consternation,  her 
own  position  was  always  uppermost  in  her  mind.  It 
behoved  her  to  play  her  cards  carefully,  or  she  might 
lose  everything.  Assuming  a  look  of  hopeless  grief, 
unable  to  find  relief  in  tears,  she  faltered — 

"  Take  me  to  him." 

Without  another  word  Boulger  led  the  way  across  to 
the  cabin,  and  opened  the  door.  She  prepared  to  enter, 
but  he  would  not  permit  it. 

"  No,  ma'am,"  he  said  kindly,  but  with  determination, 
n  as  I  said  last  night,  you  cannot  go  in ;  this  ship's 
mine,  and  while  there's  infection  aboard,  I'm  not  the 
man  to  run  risks.  But  seeing  he's  your  husband — and 
I'm  real  grieved  for  you — I'll  stretch  a  point,  and  let 
you  see  him  from  here.  But  I  dare  not  pass  you  in." 

So  saying,  he  went  in  himself,  and  approached  the 
figure  lying  stiff  and  stark  under  a  blanket  in  the  bunk. 
Pulling  the  covering  aside,  he  allowed  Juanita  a  view 
of  the  drawn  and  pallid  face  beneath.  A  terrible 
change  had  come  over  the  man,  and  accustomed  though 
she  was  to  what  are  called  horrible  sights,  she  was  com- 
pelled to  avert  her  eyes.  Seeing  this,  Boulger  re-drew 
the  blanket,  and  came  out  of  the  cabin,  securely  locking 
the  door  behind  him.  Then,  with  a  fatherly  air,  he 
placed  his  arm  around  the  woman's  waist  and  led  her 
on  deck,  whistling  the  Dead  March  softly  as  they  went. 

In  the  bright  sunshine  the  horrors  of  the  cabin  were 
for  a  time  dispelled  from  her  memory.  It  was  a  glorious 
morning.  The  wind,  which  on  the  previous  night  had 
been  so  weak,  now  blew  with  invigorating  freshness.  The 
schooner,  under  a  press  of  sail,  was  ploughing  her  way 


110  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

through  the  green  water  as  if  conscious  of  her  strength, 
turning  the  sea  away  in  two  snowy  furrows  from  either 
bow.  Dotted  about  on  either  hand  were  numerous 
small  islands;  and  thinking  it  might  distract  her 
thoughts,  the  skipper  named  them  to  her. 

Ahead,  across  the  curling  seas,  and  not  more  than 
eight  miles  distant,  rose  the  mountains  of  Vanua  Lava, 
the  largest  island  of  the  Banks  Group.  A  few  clouds 
rested  gracefully  on  the  topmost  peaks,  and  so  clear 
was  the  air  that  it  was  already  just  possible  to  make 
out  the  native  villages  ashore.  Suddenly  an  idea  leapt 
into  Juanita's  brain ;  a  brilliant  inspiration  that  she 
wondered  had  not  occurred  to  her  before.  Turning  to 
the  captain,  who  stood  beside  her,  and  who  was 
inwardly  wondering  at  the  vivacity  of  her  expression, 
she  said — 

"  Captain,  there  is  one  thing  I  should  like  you  to  get 
for  me — I  know  you  will  not  deny  it — a  locket  he 
wears  round  his  neck." 

"  No,  ma'am  ;  I'm  real  sorry,  but  that  I  can't  do.  He 
asked  particularly  that  it  should  be  buried  with  him. 
It's  his  mother's  portrait,  and  we  mustn't  go  against  that." 

Juanita  could  have  cried  with  vexation.  But  she 
dared  not  show  it.  She  had  still  another  oard  to  play. 

"  Where  will  you  bury  him  ?  Not  at  sea,  captain ; 
oh,  not  at  sea ! " 

"  And  pray  why  not  at  sea,  ma'am  ? "  the  captain 
replied,  pulling  himself  up  short  in  a  rendering  of 
"  Rock  of  Ages," — "  many  a  good  man  has  been  buried 
at  sea.1' 

"Of  course,  I  know  that"  she  sobbed;  "but  oh,  I 


THE   MAN'S   DEATH.  Ill 

cannot  bear  to  think  of  his  poor  body  tossing  about  for 
all  time  under  those  cruel  waves,  the  prey  of  every 
shark  and  fish  !  Oh  1  no,  no,  I  beseech  you,  do  not  let 
it  be  at  sea. " 

Her  grief  was  so  sincere  that  the  captain  was 
visibly  affected. 

"What  would  you  have  me  do  then,  my  dear 
ma'am  ? "  he  asked  tenderly,  thinking  he  would  go 
a  long  way  towards  obliging  her  if  she  always  pleaded 
like  that. 

"  Why  not  bury  him  on  land  ? "  she  asked,  turning 
her  tear-laden  eyes  towards  the  island  they  were 
approaching  ;  "  surely  it  would  not  be  so  very  difficult  ?  " 

"Well,"  replied  the  captain,  after  a  moment's 
consideration,  "  if  you're  so  set  upon  it,  I  don't  know 
but  what  it  can't  be  done ;  we'll  see,  at  any  rate.  Now 
you  just  come  along  down  and  have  a  bit  of  breakfast. 
Itll  cheer  you  up  more  than  anything." 

When  they  returned  to  the  deck  the  island  was 
abeam.  The  captain  occupied  himself  with  a  careful 
study  of  authorities,  and  then  selecting  a  spot,  hove 
the  schooner  to  off  a  thickly-wooded  bluf£  Sounds 
jf  carpentering  came  from  forrard,  and  Boulger,  who  had 
^uite  constituted  himself  Juanita's  protector,  took  care 
that  she  should  not  go  too  near  lest  she  should  see 
the  work  which  occasioned  it. 

It  was  well  into  the  afternoon  before  the  arrange- 
ments for  the  funeral,  including  the  digging  of  the 
grave  ashore,  were  completed.  As  soon  as  all  was 
ready  the  captain  informed  Juanita,  who  thereupon 
prepared  herself  to  accompany  the  party. 


112  IN    STJUNGE    COMPANY. 

When  the  long-boat  was  swung  overboard  and 
brought  alongside,  sounds  of  scrambling  feet  came 
up  the  companion-ladder,  and  next  moment  the  cap- 
tain, carpenter,  and  two  of  the  crew  appeared,  bearing 
the  rough  coffin  which  the  carpenter  had  managed  to 
knock  together.  With  some  difficulty  it  was  lowered 
into  the  boat,  and  then,  the  captain  steering,  Juanita 
sitting  beside  him,  and  two  of  the  hands  pulling,  they 
set  out  for  the  shore.  ' 

Unlike  most  approaches  to  the  island,  the  deep  water 
extended  right  up;  consequently  the  boat  was  able 
to  discharge  its  burden  on  the  beach  without  much 
difficulty.  Having  landed,  they  marched  to  the  gra,ve, 
situated  beneath  a  grove  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  some  hun- 
dred yards  from  the  shore.  The  captain,  whom  Nature 
seemed  to  have  designed  for  the  work,  delivered  a  short 
but  impressive  address,  and  then  the  remains  of  Marcos 
Veneda  were  committed  to  the  ground. 

To  Juanita  it  was  all  a  whirl.  She  could  not  realize 
that  the  man  had  passed  out  of  her  life — that  he  whom 
she  had  admired  for  his  strength  in  Chili  was  now  an 
inanimate  substance  on  Vanua  Lava.  The  whole  thing 
had  been  so  sudden  that  she  had  had  no  time  to  prepare 
herself  for  the  shock.  Yesterday  he  was  triumphant  in 
all  the  consciousness  of  living ;  to-day  he  was  only  a 
memory,  a  part  of  the  mysterious,  irreclaimable  Past ! 

The  funeral  over  they  returned  to  the  schooner, 
which  at  sundown  weighed  anchor,  and  resumed  hei 
voyage  to  Thursday  Island.  It  certainly  seemed  as  iJ 
Veneda  was  to  be  the  last  victim  of  the  malady,  foi 
not  another  soul  was  attacked. 


THE   MAN'S    DEATH.  113 

The  following  morning,  after  breakfast,  the  captain 
escorted  Juanita  to  the  vacant  cabin,  and  handed  her 
the  dead  man's  goods  and  chattels.  With  a  well-simu- 
lated air  of  grief  she  bore  them  to  her  own  berth,  in 
order  to  examine  them.  They  made  only  a  small 
parcel,  but  hunt  through  them  as  she  would,  no  sign 
of  either  letter  or  locket  could  she  find.  The  contents 
were  simple  in  the  extreme — a  few  clothes,  a  pocket- 
book  containing  twenty  pounds  in  English  gold,  a 
tattered  Horace,  a  knife,  a  ring,  and  a  few  little  per- 
sonal odds  and  ends,  completed  the  total  Waiting  her 
opportunity,  she  again  approached  the  captain  on  the 
subject  of  the  locket,  but  he  had  only  the  same  answer 
for  her. 

"  What  he  had  on  him,  ma'am,"  he  solemnly  declared, 
"  I  reckoned  was  his  own  property,  and  left  there  ;  so 
the  locket  you  speak  of  is  under  three  foot  of  earth  now, 
back  there  in  Vanua  Lava ;  meaning  no  disrespect  to 
you,  ma'am." 

This  was  all  the  information  Juanita  could  gather  OD 
the  subject.  Nor  did  she  press  the  matter  further. 
Fortunately  her  own  immediate  comfort  was  provided 
for  by  the  twenty  pounds,  of  which  she  assumed  undis- 
puted possession.  Had  it  not  been  for  this  she  would 
have  found  herself  placed  in  a  very  awkward  situation. 

The  rest  of  the  voyage  needs  little  chronicling ; 
suffice  it  that  ten  days  later  the  schooner  dropped 
her  anchor  off  Thursday  Island,  her  eventful  journey 
completed. 

When  Captain  Boulger  bade  Juanita  farewell,  he 
asked  if  she  had  formed  any  definite  plans  regarding 


114  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

her  future.  She  hesitated  before  replying,  but  finally 
said  that  she  thought  of  remaining  in  the  island  until 
she  had  communicated  with  her  friends.  He  felt  a 
touch  of  pity  for  her  loneliness,  and  proffered  any 
assistance  within  his  power.  She,  however,  declined 
it  with  thanks,  and  a  day  later  the  Island  Queen 
departed  on  her  return  voyage  to  Tahiti. 

The  same  night,  the  Thursday  Island  telegraph 
operator  was  in  the  act  of  closing  his  office,  when  the 
following  mysterious  message  was  handed  in— 

"  To  John  Madclin, 
Sydney. 

"  Schooner    arrived*     Man    dead.     Woman  remain! 


PART  IL 
CHAPTER  1 

JOHN  RAMSAY  TAKES  UP  THE  TALE. 

F  seems  that  when  I  induced  my  cousin  by  marriage, 
Luke  Sanctuary,  to  write  the  first  part  of  this 
history,  I  pledged  myself  to  continue  the  work  at  the 
point  where  I  became  personally  interested  in  it.  That 
time,  he  tells  me,  has  now  arrived,  and  so  it  comes  to 
pass  that  I  find  myself  sitting  before  a  blank  sheet  of 
paper,  holding  a  brand-new  pen  in  my  hand,  and  won- 
dering how  on  earth  I'm  going  to  set  down  all  the 
extraordinary  things  I  have  to  tell. 

One  assertion  I  can  safely  make,  and  that  is  that  this 
is  the  first  time  I  have  ever  undertaken  such  a  contract. 
For  writing  was  always  a  trouble  to  me ;  and  now  I 
come  to  think  of  it,  it  was  that  very  hatred  of  penman- 
ship which  resulted  in  my  being  concerned  in  what  1 
shall  always  call  that  "  Chilian  Mystery."  For,  had  I 
proved  an  apt  writer,  I  should  in  all  probability  have 
made  a  good  clerk ;  and  had  I  turned  out  a  good  clerk, 
I  should  never  have  become  a  sailor ;  and  to  continue 
the  argument  ad  infmitum,  had  I  not  become  a  sailor, 


116  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

I  should  certainly  never  have  known  anything  of  th-i 
story  my  cousin  has  begun,  and  which  I  am  now  called 
upon  to  continue. 

As  I  am  perhaps  the  chief  actor  in  the  latter  part  oi 
this  history,  and  as  in  matters  of  this  sort  it  is  always 
best,  according  to  my  way  of  thinking,  to  begin  at  the 
very  beginning,  I  may  perhaps  be  excused  if  I  briefly 
narrate  the  principal  events  of  my  life  which  led  up  to 
my  connection  with  it. 

To  begin  with,  let  me  remark  that  I  was  born  in  the 
village  of  Coombe,  near  Salisbury,  in  the  county  of 
Wiltshire,  where  my  father  was  a  country  doctor.  He, 
poor  man,  had  the  misfortune  to  be  peculiarly  devoted 
to  his  profession,  so  much  so,  that  it  was  neither  more 
nor  less  than  sheer  overwork  which  occasioned  his 
untimely  end. 

That  sad  event  occurred  within  a  week  of  my  seventh 
birthday.  And  with  the  remembrance  of  his  funeral,  a 
peculiarly  sombre  picture  rises  before  my  mind's  eye. 
I  see  a  dreary  autumnal  day  ;  thick  mists  upon  the  hill- 
tops, dripping  trees,  and  a  still  more  dismal  procession, 
winding  its  way  along  the  high-road,  unrelieved  by  any 
touch  of  colour.  And,  incongruously  enough,  the  whole 
recollection  is  heightened  by  the  remembrance  of  a  pair 
of  black  cloth  breeches  worn  by  me  on  that  melancholy 
occasion  for  the  first  time.  By  such  small  and  seemingly 
unimportant  things  are  great  events  impressed  upon  our 
memories. 

Perhaps  after  my  father's  death  I  proved  myself  a 
handful  to  manage ;  perl  aps  my  mother  really  thought 


JOHN  RAMSAY  TAKES  UP  THE  TALE.   117 

it  the  best  thing  for  me.  At  any  rate,  a  hoarding-school 
was  chosen  for  me  at  Plymouth,  to  which  she  herself 
reluctantly  conducted  me.  Being  her  only  child,  and 
having  hitherto  been  accustomed  to  get  my  own  way  at 
all  times  and  seasons,  this  maternal  abandonment  was  a 
proceeding  I  could  not  appreciate.  I  evinced,  I  believe, 
a  decided  objection  to  saying  farewell  to  her,  and  1 
know  I  found  only  inadequate  consolation  in  either  the 
ancient  dame  who  kept  the  school  (who  promised  my 
parent  to  be  a  mother  to  me,  and  for  that  reason 
perhaps  caned  me  soundly  before  I  had  been  twenty- 
four  hours  under  her  charge),  the  house,  or  my  school- 
fellows, who  figure  in  my  memory  as  the  most  objection- 
able set  of  young  ruffians  with  whom  I  had  ever  come 
into  contact. 

For  three  years  I  continued  a  pupil  of  this  "  Seminary 
for  the  Sons  of  Gentlemen,"  and  should  perhaps  have 
remained  longer  had  I  not  experienced  the  misfortune 
of  being  expelled,  for  laying  a  fellow-scholar's  head  open 
with  a  drawing-board ;  a  precocity  at  ten  years  which 
was  plainly  held  to  foreshadow  my  certain  ultimate 
arrival  at  the  condem  ;ed  cell  and  the  gallows.  After 
that,  from  the  age  of  ten  until  fifteen,  I  drifted  from 
school  to  school,  deriving  but  small  benefit  from  any 
one  of  them,  and  every  term  bringing  my  dear  mother  a 
grey  hairs  (as  she  wouM  persist  in  putting  it)  nearer 
and  nearer  to  the  grave,  by  reason  of  the  unsatisfactory 
aature  of  my  reports. 

At  fifteen,  being  a  well-set-up  stripling  for  my  years, 
and  like  to  fall  into  all  sorts  of  errors  as  to  my  proper 


118  IN  STRANGE   COMPANY. 

importance  in  life,  if  allowed  to  remain  any  longer  with 
boys  younger  than  myself,  I  was  taken  away  and  carried 
to  London,  in  order  that  my  mother  might  consult  with 
an  old  friend  as  to  my  future.  How  well  I  remember 
that  journey,  and  the  novelty  of  seeing  London  for  the 
first  time  I 

Arriving  at  Waterloo,  we  drove  to  Netting  Hill, 
and  next  morning  went  by  omnibus  into  the  city  to 
discover  Sir  Benjamin  Plowden  in  the  East  India 
Avenue. 

Never,  if  I  live  to  be  a  hundred,  shall  I  forget  my 
first  impression  of  that  office,  and  the  unaccustomed 
and  humiliating  feeling  which  stole  over  me  as  I  crossed 
the  threshold  behind  my  mother,  to  await  an  audience 
with  this  mysterious  Sir  Benjamin.  It  was  one  thing 
I  discovered,  to  be  the  cock  of  a  small  country  school, 
and  quite  another  to  be  an  applicant  for  a  junior  clerk- 
ship, at  a  salary  of  five  shillings  a  week,  in  a  London 
merchant's  office. 

At  the  end  of  five  minutes  a  liveried  servant  entered 
the  waiting-room,  and  informed  us  that  "  Sir  Benjamin 
would  see  us  now,  if  we'd  be  good  enough  to  step  this 
way."  Thereupon  my  mother  gathered  up  her  impedi- 
menta, including  a  reticule,  a  small  black  handbag,  an 
umbrella,  a  shawl,  a  paper  bag  of  sponge-cakes,  and  her 
spectacle-case,  and  toddled  down  the  passage  after  him, 
leaving  me  to  follow  in  her  wake,  my  heart  the  while 
thumping  like  a  flail  against  my  rib?. 

Ever  since  that  morning,  when  I  desire  to  realize  a 
man  in  every  way  embodying  my  idea  of  what  a  merchant 


JOHN    RAMSAY   TAKES   UP   THE    TALE.        119 

prince  should  be,  I  recall  my  first  impression  of  Sir 
Benjamin.  At  the  date  of  our  visit  he  was  on  the 
hither  side  of  fifty,  of  medium  height,  stout  and  bald, 
with  curly  white  whiskers,  a  shaven  chin  and  upper  lip, 
very  rosy  as  to  his  complexion,  dignified  in  his  bear- 
ing, and  given  to  saying  "  Hum,  ha ! "  on  all  possible 
occasions. 

He  received  my  mother  with  cordiality,  and  even 
went  so  far  as  to  recognize  my  presence  with  an  ex- 
pressive speech, — "  So  this  is  your  boy, — a  big  fellow, — 
like  his  father  about  the  mouth, — too  old  to  be  idling 
about  country  towns,  getting  into  mischief,  and  deriving 
a  false  idea  of  his  own  importance.  Hum,  ha  1 "  After 
which  I  was  left  to  my  own  thoughts,  while  they  entered 
upon  an  animated  discussion  for  perhaps  the  space  of 
half-an-hour. 

At  the  end  of  this  time  he  rose — I  think,  as  a  hint  to 
my  mother — and  rang  the  belL  It  was  answered  by  the 
same  dignified  man-servant  who  had  ushered  us  into 
his  presence ;  whereupon  Sir  Benjamin  bade  us  fare- 
well, promising  to  communicate  with  my  mother  on  the 
subject  they  had  been  discussing  at  an  early  date ;  and 
we  were  escorted  out.  I,  for  one,  was  not  sorry  that  the 
interview  was  over. 

Leaving  the  Avenue,  we  visited  the  British  Museum, 
by  way  of  counteracting  the  two  serious  impressions 
forced  upon  my  mind  by  the  ordeal  we  had  just  under- 
gone, I  suppose ;  and  here  my  mother,  in  the  middle  of 
the  Egyptian  Department,  surrounded  by  evidences  of 
an  extinct  civilization,  gravely  prophesied  the  eminence 


120  IN  STRANGE   COMPANY. 

to  which  I  should  some  day  attain,  if  only  Sir  Benjamin 
could  be  induced  to  take  an  interest  in  me. 

As  if  in  answer  to  her  words,  two  days  later  I  was 
the  recipient  of  a  letter  signed  by  Sir  Benjamin  himself, 
in  which  it  was  stated  that  a  position  had  been  found  for 
me  in  his  own  office,  at  a  salary  of  ten  shillings  a  week. 
I  must  leave  you  to  picture  my  sensations.  Surely  no 
possessor  of  an  autograph  letter  from  the  throne  itself 
could  have  been  prouder  than  I  that  day.  As  for  my 
mother,  she  argued  confidently  that  my  Future  (with  a 
capital  F)  had  undoubtedly  commenced.  And,  between 
ourselves,  I  certainly  think  it  had. 

It  is  not  necessary,  for  the  understanding  of  the  story 
1  have  to  tell,  that  I  should  enter  upon  a  recital  of  my 
life  in  the  East  India  Avenue  ;  let  it  suffice,  that  it  did 
not  come  up  to  the  expectations  I  had  formed  regarding 
it.  The  hours  were  long,  the  supervision  was  constant 
and  irksome,  the  superiority  of  the  other  clerks  humili- 
ating, while  the  personal  attention  and  affability  which 
my  dear  mother  had  led  me  to  expect  from  Sir  Benjamin 
was  not  only  not  forthcoming,  but  showed  no  signs  of 
making  its  appearance  at  any  time  within  the  next  half- 
century. 

However,  there  were  many  compensations  to  balance 
these  petty  annoyances,  and  chief  among  them  I 
reckoned  that  of  carrying  letters  and  papers  to  the 
docks,  where  the  ships  which  brought  Sir  Benjamin's 
merchandise  from  far  countries  discharged  their  cargoes. 

Nothing  gave  me  greater  happiness  than  these  little 
excursions,  and  when  I  had  fulfilled  my  errand,  it  was  my 


JOHW  RAMSAY  TAKES  UP  THE  TALE.    121 

invariable  custom  to  enter  upon  an  investigation  on  my 
own  account,  wandering  all  over  the  mysterious  vessels, 
asking  questions  innumerable  about  the  strange  places 
they  visited,  and,  I  have  no  doubt  now,  making  myself 
a  complete  and  insufferable  nuisance  generally.  Per- 
haps that  was  why,  throughout  my  sailoring  career,  I 
had  always  a  sneaking  sympathy  with  boys  who  boarded 
us,  and  asked  permission  to  look  round.  At  any  rate, 
I  am  convinced  that  those  journeys  were  what  made 
me  believe  I  had  at  last  hit  upon  my  vocation  in  life ; 
for  I  know  that  every  time  I  passed  outwards  through 
the  dock-gates,  I  renewed  my  vow  that  before  many 
years  were  over  I  would  become  a  sailor,  and  the  com- 
mander of  just  such  another  ship  as  that  I  had  lately 
overhauled. 

This  sort  of  life  continued  with  but  slight  variation 
until  I  was  on  the  verge  of  seventeen,  when  I  made  a 
firm  resolve  to  assert  myself,  and  embark  upon  the 
calling  I  had  marked  out  for  my  own.  My  mother  was 
prepared  in  some  manner  for  the  blow,  for  she  certainly 
could  not  have  failed  to  notice  the  way  my  inclinations 
tended ;  so  when  I  broached  the  subject  she  offered  no 
objections,  only  sighed  somewhat  sadly,  and  said  "  she 
was  afraid  a  time  would  come  when  I  should  repent  it." 
Little  did  the  poor  soul  know  to  what  a  fatal  prophecy 
she  was  giving  utterance. 

A  day  later,  for  the  second  and  last  time  in  her  life, 
she  visited  Sir  Benjamin,  and  the  following  morning  I 
was  summoned  to  his  presence. 

"  Your  mother  tells  me  you  vish  to  leave  my  employ 


122  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

to  become  a  sailor,"  he  began,  when  I  had  close- 1  the 
door  behind  me  and  approached  his  table.  "  Now  you 
know  your  own  business  best,  but  remember  it's  a  hard 
life,  more  kicks  than  halfpence ;  and  what  is  Avorse,  I 
can  assure  you  that  when  you  have  once  taken  to  it, 
you'll  never  be  fit  for  anything  else  again.  You  have 
thought  it  over,  I  suppose  ?  " 

I  modestly  replied  that  I  had  devoted  a  good  deal  of 
consideration  to  the  matter,  and  would  have  gone  on 
to  say  that  I  wished  for  nothing  better  had  he  not 
interrupted  me. 

"Very  good;  I've  promised  your  mother  to  do  the 
best  I  can  for  you,  so  you'll  be  apprenticed  to  the 
Yellow  Diamond  Line  as  soon  as  I  can  see  about  it. 
You'll  probably  be  surprised  to  hear  that  I  think  you're 
a  fool,  but  I  suppose  in  this  world  there  must  be  a 
proportion  of  fools  to  balance  the  wise  men,  or  we'd  all 
come  to  grief.  Hum,  ha  ! " 

He  was  true  to  his  promise,  for  the  following  week  I 
received  a  notification  to  attend  at  the  head  office  of  the 
Yellow  Diamond  Line  of  clipper  ships.  Here  I  com- 
plied with  the  formalities,  signed  the  necessary  papers, 
and  had  the  satisfaction  of  leaving  the  Company's  office 
to  all  intents  and  purposes  a  member  of  the  nautical 
profession.  It  was  arranged  that  I  should  desert  Sir 
Benjamin's  employment  at  the  end  of  the  month,  and 
after  that  I  was  confident  my  real  career  would  com- 
mence. It  is,  I  think,  one  of  the  most  wonderful  things 
in  our  poor  human  nature,  that  we  should  always  look 
forward  to  the  future  with  so  much  confidence,  pro* 


JOHN  RAMSAY  TAKES  UP  THE  TALK.   123 

portionately  the  more  when  we  have  perhaps  the  least 
justification  for  it.  For  my  own  part,  when  I  left  the 
Company's  office  I  would  not  have  changed  places  witl 
the  Prime  Minister  himself;  yet  such  is  the  perversity 
of  fate  that,  not  six  hours  from  the  time  of  my  signing 
the  papers,  I  would  have  given  anything  I  possessed  to 
have  been  allowed  to  forfeit  my  premium  and  to  remain 
ashore.  This  is  how  it  came  about. 

Sir  Benjamin  was  laid  up  with  an  attack  of  gout,  and 
it  became  necessary  to  obtain  his  signature  to  some 
important  letters.  About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
therefore,  the  chief  clerk  sent  for  me,  and  giving  into 
my  care  a  small  despatch -bag,  bade  me  take  a  cab,  and 
drive  with  it  to  Sir  Benjamin's  residence  in  Holland 
Park.  Nothing  loth,  off  I  set. 

The  East  India  merchant's  home  was  a  most  im- 
posing place,  and  it  was  with  some  little  awe  that  I 
rang  the  great  front-door  bell,  and  requested  the 
dignified  butler  to  inform  me  if  I  could  see  his  master. 
Saying  he  would  find  out,  he  ushered  me  into  a  small 
room  off  the  hall,  to  which  he  presently  returned  with 
the  request  that  I  would  accompany  him  up-stairs. 

I  found  my  employer  propped  up  in  a  chair  near  the 
fire,  nursing  his  swaddled  leg.  Beside  him  was  seated  a 
young  lady  I  had  never  seen  before,  but  of  whom  I  had 
often  heard  my  mother  speak, — his  daughter  Ma.ud. 

When  I  entered  she  was  for  leaving  us,  but  this  Sir 
Benjamin  would  not  permit.  Having  received  the 
papers  from  my  hands,  he  turned  to  her  and  said  (and 
I  regarded  it  as  a  mark  of  unusual  condescension) — 


124  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY, 

"My  dear,  let  me  introduce  Mr.  John  Ramsay  to 
you;  a  young  gentleman  who  is  forsaking  the  East 
India  Avenue  to  distinguish  himself  by  falling  off  the 
topsail-yard.  Mr.  Ramsay,  my  daughter ! " 

Then  he  settled  himself  down  to  the  papers  I  had 
brought,  and  I  was  left  free  for  conversation  with  his 
daughter. 

As  a  rule  I  am  considered  bashful  with  strangers, 
but  such  was  Maud  Plowden's  wonderful  knack  of 
setting  people  at  their  ease,  that  I  would  defy  any 
man  to  remain  shy  very  long  in  her  company.  I 
do  not  mean  to  infer  by  this  that  she  was  an  extra- 
ordinarily beautiful  girl,  for  though  I  have  heard  people 
go  into  ecstasies  about  that,  her  charm  lay  not  so  much 
in  her  face  as  in  her  voice  and  manner.  Of  one  thing 
at  least  I  am  quite  certain,  had  I  a  secret  I  was  desirous 
of  obtaining  from  a  man,  I  would  rather  trust  Maud  to 
coax  it  from  him  than  the  most  beautiful  or  dangerous 
woman  in  existence. 

When  ten  minutes  later  I  re-took  my  seat  in  the  cab, 
I  was  in  love  for  the  first  time  in  my  life.  And  then  it 
was  that  I  began  to  regret  not  having  been  content  to 
remain  quietly  in  Sir  Benjamin's  office,  where  I  might 
have  found  other  opportunities  of  improving  my  ac- 
quaintance with  his  charming  daughter.  It  was  cer- 
tainly the  irony  of  fate,  that  when  I  wanted  to  embrace 
the  nautical  profession,  no  opportunity  was  vouchsafed 
me ;  but  when  I  did  not  want  to  take  to  it,  I  had  no 
option  but  to  do  so. 

It  is  not  my  intention,  even  had   I  the  space,  to 


JOHN  BAMSAY  TAKES  UP  THE  TALE.    125 

narrate  all  that  befell  me  before  my  departure  on  my 
first  voyage,  but  will  content  myself  by  remarking  that 
not  only  did  my  uniform  almost  satisfy  me,  but  that  on 
my  first  day  of  wearing  it  (and  you  may  be  sure,  like 
most  youths,  I  seized  the  opportunity  as  soon  as  it  pre- 
sented itself),  who  should  drive  up  to  our  door  but 
Maud  Plowden  herself.  I  had  forgotten  until  then  that 
my  mother  and  she  had  developed  a  sudden  but  intimate 
acqu  ai  ntance  ship. 

What  she  said  to  me  or  what  I  said  to  her  during 
the  space  that  she  remained  under  our  roof  I  cannot 
recall,  but  I  remember  that  when  she  went  away,  it 
seemed  as  if  all  the  sunshine  had  gone  out  of  the  house. 

What  a  strange  and  indeed  weird  experience  that  first 
falling  in  love  is,  and,  as  a  rule,  how  signally  we  fail  to 
estimate  its  true  importance  in  the  building  up  of  a  life's 
character !  Is  it  not  a  time  of  high  ambitions,  of  pure 
intentions,  of  great  resolves, — when  not  to  succeed  is  a 
thing  impossible  ?  A  period  of  our  lives  when  women 
are  all  pure  and  noble,  and  men  all  brave  and  honest ! 
Oh,  the  pity,  for  humanity's  sake,  that  there  should 
ever  come  an  awakening! 

On  the  Thursday  following  that  tea-drinking,  I  joined 
my  ship,  the  Beretania,  then  lying  in  the  East  India 
Docks.  My  mother  came  to  see  me  off,  and  her  tears 
and  parting  blessing  opened  my  eyes  to  my  conduct 
towards  herself,  showing  me  my  position  in  a  new  and 
exceedingly  unpleasant  light. 

And  now  as  my  doings  for  the  term  of  my  apprentice- 
ship would  form  but  poor  reading,  let  me  skip  a  few 


126  IN   STRANGE    COMPANY. 

years,  and  come  to  the  time  when  I  returned  to  England 
to  a  certain  extent  tired  of  Father  Ocean,  but  very 
proud  of  my  position  as  third  mate.  I  was  then,  to  all 
intents  and  purposes,  a  man,  six  feet  in  height,  broad  of 
shoulder,  and,  if  my  doting  mother  could  be  believed, 
not  altogether  deficient  in  good  looks.  On  that  point, 
however,  I  must  be  mute. 

As  we  had  just  hailed  from  China,  it  was  only 
natural  that  I  should  have  brought  with  me  a  whole 
cargo  of  curios.  These  I  intended  for  family  presents, 
and  on  the  day  following  my  arrival  I  sorted  them 
out,  retaining  those  I  most  admired  for  my  mother  her- 
self, and  setting  apart  those  I  did  not  care  very  much 
about  for  transmission  to  any  relatives  and  acquaint- 
ances she  might  think  worthy  of  the  notice.  Among 
the  prettiest  of  the  things  was  an  exquisitely  inlaid 
tortoiseshell  and  ivory  card-case,  which,  in  my  own 
mind,  I  had  destined  for  Maud,  if  I  could  but  find  an 
opportunity  of  giving  it  to  her. 

This  came  sooner  than  I  expected,  for  on  the  after- 
noon following  my  arrival  she  dropped  in  to  five  o'clock 
tea,  and  as  she  intended  to  walk  back,  I  had  the  delight, 
not  only  of  presenting  her  with  my  gift,  but  also  of 
escorting  her,  at  my  mother's  desire,  a  little  way  upon 
her  homeward  road.  Now  I'm  not  vain  enough  to  think 
that  she  was  already  in  love  with  me  (the  sin  of  conceit 
cannot  at  least  be  laid  to  my  charge),  but  I'm  certain, 
and  even  she  herself  admits  it  now,  that  after  that  night 
she  was  not  altogether  indifferent  to  me.  However,  be 
that  as  it  may,  I  saw  her  no  more  during  my  leave 


JOffN    RAMSAY    TAKES    UP    THE    TALE.         127 

ashore,  and  it  must  have  been  two  full  years  before  I 
looked  into  her  face  again. 

When  I  reached  England  the  next  time,  I  had  not 
only  been  twice  round  the  world,  visiting  China, 
Australia,  and  both  North  and  South  America  in  so 
doing,  but  had  passed  my  examination  for  chief  officer, 
though  I  only  held  a  second  officer's  position. 

It  was  close  upon  Christmas  when  we  arrived,  the 
Serpentine  was  frozen,  and  skating  parties  were  in  full 
swing.  Now  skating  is  an  amusement  of  which  I  have 
always  been  fond,  though  naturally  in  my  profession  I  did 
not  get  many  opportunities  of  indulging  in  it.  For  this 
reason,  when  I  did  I  made  the  most  of  them,  and  that 
season  was  a  notable  instance. 

One  morning,  on  the  Serpentine,  I  had  the  good 
fortune  to  catch  a  young  lady  just  as  she  was  about  to 
fall  in  such  a  manner  that  the  consequence  could  only 
have  been  a  nasty  sprain.  She  thanked  me  prettily,  and 
a  few  moments  later  her  protector  on  the  ice  crossed 
over  to  where  I  sat  taking  off  my  skates,  and  added  an 
expression  of  his  gratitude.  Somehow  his  face  seemed 
strangely  familiar  to  me,  and  it  was  not  long  before  I 
recognized  in  him  a  nephew  of  Sir  Benjamin  Plowden, 
with  whom  I  had  been  slightly  acquainted  in  by-gone 
days.  Making  myself  known,  I  was  taken  across  and 
formally  introduced  to  the  lady,  who  turned  out  to  be 
his  wife.  We  strolled  part  of  the  way  back  together, 
and  next  day,  to  my  surprise,  I  received  a  card  for  an 
M  At  Home  "  at  their  residence  the  following  night. 

Now   though   I   am   not   particularly   fond  of  "At 


128  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

Homes,"  I  suppose  my  destiny  ordained  that  I  should 
accept  this  invitation.  It  was  altogether  a  brilliant 
affair,  and  as  there  was  dancing,  and  Captain  Plowden 
(for  that  was  my  host's  name)  was  kind  enough  to  see 
that  I  did  not  want  for  partners,  I  enjoyed  myself 
hugely. 

Towards  the  middle  of  the  evening  I  happened  to 
be  standing  near  the  door  of  the  ball-room,  when,  to  my 
astonishment  and  delight,  who  should  enter  but  Maud, 
leaning  on  her  father's  arm.  To  make  myself  known 
to  Sir  Benjamin  (for  I  had  altered  so  much  since  my 
last  interview  with  him  that  I  doubt  very  much  if  he 
would  have  known  me  else)  was  the  work  of  an  instant, 
and  before  a  spectator  could  have  counted  a  hundred  I 
had  completed  the  necessary  preliminaries,  and  was 
waltzing  up  the  room,  my  arm  round  Maud's  waist,  and 
my  whole  being  intoxicated  with  the  fragrance  of  her 
presence. 

Whether  I  danced  well  or  ill,  whether  my  step 
suited  hers,  what  the  music  was,  or  why  we  did  not 
collide  with  every  other  couple  on  the  floor,  I  do  not 
know.  I  was  only  conscious  that  I  was  dancing  with 
Maud,  that  I  held  her  in  my  arms,  that  I  was  looking 
into  her  face  and  listening  to  her  voice.  When  the 
music  ceased  I  led  her  through  the  drawing-room  into 
the  conservatory,  and  finding  two  vacant  seats  settled 
myself  beside  her. 

How  can  I  describe  all  the  delights  of  that  evening ! 
It  would  be  impossible,  for  beyond  the  fact  that  just 
before  supper  I  blurted  out  a  question  which  had  been 


JOHN    RAMSAY    TAKES   UP   THE   TALE.       129 

on  the  tip  of  my  tongue  for  years,  it  is  all  one  mist  of 
rose-coloured  light 

When  I  left  the  house  I  trod  ol  air,  I  was  the 
happiest  man  in  England,  for  I  had  proposed  to  Maud, 
and  she  had  accepted  me  !  Though  it  was  considerably 
past  two  o'clock  when  I  reached  home,  what  must  I  do 
but  wake  the  mother  up  to  tell  her  my  glorious  tidings ; 
and  I  know  her  congratulations  were  genuine,  though, 
in  her  confused  state,  the  dear  old  soul  could  hardly 
make  head  or  tail  of  what  I  said  to  her. 

As  early  next  morning  as  my  conscience  would 
permit,  I  set  off  to  call  upon  Sir  Benjamin,  hoping  to 
catch  him  and  get  my  interview  over  before  he  should 
leave  for  the  city.  Arriving  at  the  house,  I  was  shown 
into  the  morning-room,  and  I  had  not  been  there  two 
minutes  before  Maud  entered.  If  she  had  appeared 
adorable  the  night  before,  she  was  doubly  so  now,  and 
the  pretty  little  air  of  embarrassment  which  possessed 
her  did  not,  I  promise  you,  detract  from  her  beauty  in 
my  eyes. 

"  Oh,  Jack,"  she  began — for  somehow  every  one  calls 
me  Jack — "  how  good  of  you  to  come  so  early ! " 

I  thought  it  was  rather  a  matter  for  shame,  but 
didn't  say  so. 

14  I  have  come  to  see  your  father,  Maud,"  I  answered, 
making,  I  do  not  doubt,  a  rueful  face ;  "  and  though  I 
know  him  so  well,  I  feel  for  all  the  world  like  a  criminal 
going  to  execution.  Have  you  said  anything  to  him 
about  it?" 

"Yes,"   she    whispered,   nestling   her  head   OD   my 


130  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

shoulder,  "  I  could  not  help  it,  Jack ;  you  see  I  havt 
no  mother  to  advise  me,  and  I  felt  that  I  must  tell 
somebody.  You  don't  mind  ? M 

"  Mind,  my  darling,  as  if  I  should  mind  anything  you 
might  do.  And  what  did  he  say  to  it  ?  "  I  asked  this 
rather  anxiously.  "  I  know  he  won't  altogether  approve, 
but  does  he  dislike  the  idea  so  very  much  ? " 

Maud  made  what  is,  I  believe,  correctly  termed  a 
little  moue  before  she  replied. 

"  Well,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  Jack,  I'm  afraid  he's 
not  overjoyed  about  it ;  but  then  perhaps  it's  quite 
natural ;  you  see,  I'm  his  only  child,  and — well,  he's  not 
seen  as  much  of  you  as  I  have,  so  he  doesn't  know  all 
your  good  qualities." 

The  proper  answer  to  such  a  speech  cannot  be  put  on 
paper,  and,  even  if  it  could,  I  doubt  whether  it  would 
prove  of  very  much  interest  here.  It  was  accomplished 
only  just  in  time,  for  next  moment  Sir  Benjamin  entered, 
and  Maud  with  an  encouraging  glance  at  me  withdrew. 

Though  he  had  aged  a  good  deal  since  I  had  left  his 
employ,  he  was  brisk  enough  this  morning,  and  to  my 
sorrow  I  could  see  not  best  pleased.  I  cannot,  how- 
ever, conscientiously  say  that  his  greeting  was  any  the 
less  sincere,  but  his  tone  was  a  little  more  curt,  and  his 
demeanour  decidedly  stiffer,  than  when  I  had  met  him 
on  the  previous  evening.  He  seated  himself  opposite 
me,  and  came  to  business  at  once. 

"  I  suppose  you're  aware,  Mr.  Ramsay,  that  my 
daughter  has  told  me  of  the  offer  you  made  her  last 
night?" 


JOffN    RAMSAY    TAKES    UP    THE    TALE.         131 

When  I  hail  signified  that  I  was,  he  continued — 

"Now  I'll  be  bound  you  don't  know  what  a  shock  a 
piece  of  information  like  that  gives  to  a  man  of  my 
years.  I  was,  of  course,  quite  aware  that  Maud  would 
be  likely  to  marry  sooner  or  later,  but  somehow  I  had 
never  brought  myself  face  to  face  with  the  actual 
situation  before.  Do  you  know  that  she  is  a  very 
considerable  heiress  ?  " 

I  ventured  to  remark  that  I  had  been  so  informed, 
and  started  to  try  and  convince  him  that  my  offer  had 
nothing  whatever  to  do  with  such  a  circumstance.  But 
he  stopped  me. 

"I  know  exactly  what  you're  going  to  say.  If  I 
mistake  not,  I  said  it  myself  once  upon  a  time.  But 
tell  me,  John  Ramsay,  what  would  you  say  of  a  young 
man,  five-and-twenty  years  of  age,  mate  of  a  sailing 
ship,  with  nothing  but  his  pay  to  depend  upon,  who 
proposed  to  a  rich  merchant's  daughter  with  an  income 
of  something  like  six  thousand  a  year.  Reflect  for  a 
minute,  and  then  tell  me  what  you  would  think  of 
him?" 

This  was  a  poser,  but  I  made  shift  to  answer  it. 

"I  should  say  that  it  couldn't  matter  how  much 
money  she  had  if  he  really  loved  her,  and  thought  he 
could  make  her  happy." 

He  sniffed  scornfully. 

"  Exactly  what  I  thought.  Now  that's  all  very  pretty. 
But  to  look  at  it  in  another  light.  We'll  suppose  that 
I  give  my  consent  to  your  marriage,  what  are  your 
intentions  then  ?  Are  you  going  to  remain  at  sea,  and 


132  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

leave  your  wife  unprotected  ashore,  or  are  you  going  to 
abandon  your  profession,  and  live  a  life  of  idle  luxury 
on  her  money  ?  For,  as  I  warned  you  years  ago,  you're 
fit  for  no  other  calling  now." 

I  could  not  answer  either  way,  and  I  think  he  saw 
my  difficulty,  for  he  rose  and  came  over  to  me.  Putting 
his  hand  on  my  shoulder,  and  speaking  in  a  kinder 
tone  than  he  had  adopted  yet,  he  said — 

"Jack  Ramsay,  you  understand  what  a  problem  it 
is.  I  like  you,  my  boy,  and  I  like  your  family;  I 
think  you're  a  steady,  honest  young  fellow,  and  a  credit 
to  your  calling ;  what  is  more,  I  know  you  love  my 
girl,  and  I'm  certain  that  she  loves  you.  For  these 
reasons  I  shall  not  definitely  forbid  your  engagement." 

"  Oh,  Sir  Benjamin,"  I  hastened  to  say,  "  how  can  I 
express  my  gratitude  ! " 

"Hold  on,  sir,  hear  me  out.  Though,  as  I  say,  I 
shall  not  definitely  forbid  your  engagement,  yet  remem- 
ber, I  do  not  sanction  it.  I  shall  not  do  so  until  I  se« 
how  you  behave.  If  I  know  that  you  work  hard,  and 
do  your  best  to  advance  in  your  profession,  it  will  be 
something  for  me  to  go  upon,  and  I  may  eventually 
find  sufficient  reason  to  allow  your  marriage.  Now, 
good-morning.  Maud,  I  don't  doubt,  is  awaiting  you  in 
the  drawing-room.  You  had  better  tell  her  what  I've 
told  you." 

So  saying,  the  worthy  merchant  shook  me  by  the 
hand,  and  hobbled  from  the  room,  leaving  me  a  good 
deal  more  relieved  than  I  had  expected  to  be  by  the 
nature  of  his  communication. 


JOli.N    RAMSAY    TAKES    UP   THE   TALE.        133 

Over  the  bliss  of  the  succeeding  fortnight  I  must 
Jraw  a  curtain.  Of  course  I  saw  Maud  every  day  ;  ami 
equally,  of  course,  each  twenty-four  hours  convinced  me 
more  and  more  of  the  wisdom  of  my  choice.  But,  like 
the  school-boy's  Black  Monday,  the  fatal  day  of  parting 
had  to  come ;  and,  accordingly,  one  miserable  Wednesday 
night  I  bade  my  darling  farewell,  and  next  morning, 
with  a  heavy  heart,  rejoined  iny  ship  and  put  back 
to 


CHAPTER  tt 

A  CHEQUERED  CAREER. 

FT10  a  sailor,  perhaps  the  most  trying  parts  of  his  court- 
-•-  ship  are  the  lengthy  periods  he  is  compelled  to 
spend  away  from  the  presence  of  his  beloved  one ;  and 
yet,  curiously  enough,  when  in  later  life  he  comes  to 
look  back  upon  the  whole  business,  he  is  pretty  certain 
feo  discover  that  they  were  not  the  least  pleasant  por- 
tions of  it.  However  that  may  be,  it  is  a  crucial  test  of 
the  genuineness  of  his  atfection ;  and  then  it  is  that  he 
has  an  opportunity  of  realizing  what  truth  there  is  in 
the  old  saying, "  Absence  makes  the  heart  grow  fonder." 
How  often,  when  pacing  his  lonely  watch,  do  you 
suppose  his  sweetheart's  face  rises  before  him  ?  How 
often,  when  a  stiff  breeze  is  blowing,  filling  the  canvas 
like  great  balloons,  and  driving  the  good  ship,  home- 
ward bound,  for  all  she  is  worth,  do  you  think  the 
thought  of  her  he  will  soon  hold  in  his  arms,  whose  lips 
he  will  soon  kiss,  into  whose  eyes  he  will  gaze  with  so 
fond  a  rapture,  will  cross  his  mind  ?  Or,  if  his  ship's 
head  be  turned  away  from  home,  hasn't  he  the  sweet 
knowledge  ever  present  with  him  that  a  certain  volu- 


A  CHEQUERED  CAREER.         135 

minons  epistle  will  meet  him  at  the  other  end,  destined 
amply  to  compensate  for  the  bitterness  of  parting  ? 
Well,  I  protest,  though  separation  may  be  one  of  the 
hardest  parts  of  a  sailor's  courtship,  yet,  all  things 
considered,  it  is  worth  undergoing,  if  only  for  the  joy  of 
reuniting.  As  the  Frenchman  has  it — 

*  I/absence  est  k  1'amour  ce  qu'est  au  feu  le  vent  | 
II  £teint  le  petit,  il  allume  le  grand." 

When  I  bade  Maud  my  first  good-bye  after  our 
engagement,  I  was,  though  I  did  not  know  it,  bound  on 
a  long  cruise.  We  visited  Calcutta,  Singapore,  and 
Hong  Kong,  crossed  the  Pacific  to  San  Francisco,  thence 
round  the  Horn  to  Rio ;  finally  returning,  vid  New 
York,  home.  By  that  time,  as  may  be  supposed,  I  was 
ravenous — no  other  word  so  fully  expresses  it — for  a 
glimpse  of  my  darling's  face ;  I  felt  as  if  I  had  not  seen 
her  for  a  lifetime. 

So  soon,  therefore,  as  we  were  docked,  and  I  could  be 
spared,  away  I  sped,  first  home  to  the  old  mother,  and 
then,  as  early  as  I  could  decently  excuse  myself,  to 
Maud.  By  the  time  my  cab  pulled  up  at  her  door  I 
was  in  a  fever,  and  I  remember  well  the  cabman's 
expression  of  surprise  when  he  realized  that  instead  of 
his  legal  fare  of  eighteen-pence  I  had  given  him  five 
shillings.  Summers,  the  same  ancient  butler  who 
opened  the  door  to  me  on  the  day  I  first  saw  my  sweet- 
heart, invited  me  to  enter  now,  and  the  grip  I  gave  his 
nonest  hand  he  professes  to  feel  even  at  this  distant 


136  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

date.  A  minute  later  I  was  entering  the  drawing-room, 
prepared  to  clasp  my  dear  girl  in  my  arms. 

At  this  point  occurred  a  trifling  circumstance — so 
trifling  regarded  in  the  white  light  of  these  later  days 
that  I  almost  hesitate  to  narrate  it — that  was,  never- 
theless, destined  to  alter  the  whole  current  of  rny  after 
life,  and  indirectly  to  bring  me  into  touch  with  all  the 
curious  things  I  have  set  myself  to  tell. 

As  I  have  just  said,  I  entered  the  drawing-room, 
prepared  to  bestow  upon  Maud  the  hungry  embrace  of 
a  long-parted  lover.  My  intentions,  however,  were 
dashed  to  the  ground  by  the  presence  of  a  third  party 
— a  man.  As  he  stood  watching  us  there  was  nothing 
for  it  but  to  behave  like  commonplace  mortals,  but  I 
promise  you  I  was  not  grateful  to  him  for  his  presence. 
To  say  that  Maud  looked  prettier  than  when  I  had  left 
her  last  would  perhaps  be  hardly  the  truth  (though  to 
my  eyes  she  was  incomparably  sweet),  for  her  face  had 
a  worn  and  harrassed  expression  which  had  not  been 
there  when  I  bade  her  good-bye.  Her  welcome 
was  as  warm  as  I  could  expect  under  the  circum- 
stances, but  nevertheless  I  was  bitterly  disappointed 
by  it. 

Her  companion's  name  was  Welbourne,  Captain 
Horatio  Welbourne,  of  one  of  the  Household  Regiments, 
I  believe.  We  exchanged  glances,  and  from  that 
moment  I  became  furiously  jealous  of  him.  I  must, 
however,  do  him  the  justice  to  admit  that  he  was  a 
fine  figure  of  a  man,  tall  and  soldierly,  as  befitted 
his  calling.  Our  introduction  effected,  Maud  pro- 


A    CHEQUERED    CAREER.  137 

ceeded  to  dispense  the  tea  she  was  pouring  out  when 
I  entered. 

Inwardly  chafing  to  have  my  sweetheart  to  myself,  it 
was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  I  could  engage  myself 
in  the  insipid  conversation,  through  the  mazes  of  which 
the  gallant  captain  led  us.  When  he  rose  to  depart 
another  relay  of  fashionables  arrived,  and  after  standing 
it  for  nearly  an  hour  I  made  my  excuses,  and  raging 
against  the  whole  world  fled  the  house. 

The  next  afternoon  I  called  again.  This  time  I  was 
fortunate  enough  to  find  Maud  alone.  I  think  she  was 
vexed  with  me  for  deserting  her  the  previous  day ;  al 
any  rate,  her  manner  was  distinctly  cold.  As  it  hap- 
pened, we  had  hardly  been  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
together  before  the  self-same  Captain  Welbourne  must 
needs  put  in  an  appearance,  bringing  with  him  the 
peculiar  air  of  being  the  tame  cat  of  the  house  I  -had 
noticed  on  the  previous  occasion.  I  fancy  Maud  must 
have  had  some  idea  of  what  was  in  my  mind,  for  she 
became  painfully  embarrassed,  and  noticing  this,  my 
suspicions  grew  and  grew.  How  unjust  I  was  to  her,  I 
can  now  see,  but  at  the  time  I  could  not  help  remem- 
bering that  she  was  an  heiress,  and  that  the  gallant 
captain  was  really  a  most  attractive  person.  Yet  I 
determined  I  would  not  allow  myself  to  become  jealous 
without  good  cause. 

That  was,  however,  soon  forthcoming,  and,  I  blush  to 
relate  it  now,  through  the  gossip  of  a  female  tittle-tattler. 
Unhappily  I  was  in  such  t.  state  that  I  had  no  option 
but  to  believe  it  true.  And,  being  ever  impetuous 


138  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY,. 

and  hot-headed,  nothing  would  suit  me  then  but  I 
must  call  upon  Maud  while  under  the  influence  of  my 
anger.  Naturally  enough  she  resented  the  terms  in 
which  I  couched  my  remarks,  and  I  left  the  house  in 
high  dudgeon,  more  than  ever  convinced  that  she  was 
false  to  me.  A  week  went  by  without  a  word  on  either 
side,  and  at  the  end  of  it  I  put  back  to  sea  nearly 
broken-hearted.  As  if  to  accentuate  the  sting,  that 
was  my  first  voyage  as  chief  officer. 

From  this  point  I  date  my  downfall.  Perhaps  I  was 
tired  of  the  sea,  or  perhaps  I  was  still  piqued  by  what  I 
could  not  help  considering  Maud's  ill-treatment  of  me ; 
at  any  rate,  I  got  it  into  my  poor  addled  brain  that  when 
we  reached  South  Australia  I  would  cry  quits  with 
the  nautical  profession,  and  if  possible  settle  down  out 
there  to  a  life  ashore.  This  scheme  I  put  into  practice, 
with  the  result  that,  after  much  jobbery,  I  obtained  a 
situation  in  a  ship-chandler's  office  in  Port  Adelaide, 
retaining  it  until  my  employer's  fraudulent  insolvency 
threw  me  on  the  world  again.  Then,  a  new  gold-field 
breaking  out  inland,  off  I  tramped  to  it,  imbued  with 
the  intention  of  making  my  fortune,  and  returning  to 
the  mother-country  a  millionaire.  This  venture,  how- 
ever, was  no  more  successful  than  the  last,  and  after 
nearly  three  months'  hard  work,  all  I  had  to  show  for  it 
were  six  dwts.  of  gold,  and  a  bad  attack  of  typhoid 
fever  that  nearly  made  an  end  of  me.  For  nearly  ten 
weeks  I  was  confined  to  my  bed  in  the  tent-hospital,  to 
leave  it  more  like  a  skeleton  than  a  human  being. 

What  to  do  now  I  had  uo  idea.    I  was  bankrupt ;  my 


A   CHEQUERED    GAEEEE.  139 

claim  had  been  seized ;  I  was  too  weak  to  tramp  the 
bush  in  search  of  work ;  and  indeed  had  I  found  any  I 
doubt  if  I  could  have  undertaken  it.  Added  to  all  this, 
or  perhaps  I  should  say  as  the  result  of  all  this,  I  grew 
exceedingly  despondent.  Indeed  the  horrors  of  that 
period  I  am  loth  to  dwell  upon,  save  that  it  gave  me 
an  opportunity  of  experiencing  one  of  those  little  touches 
of  kindness  which  go  to  prove  that  after  all  humanity 
in  the  abstract  is  not  quite  so  bad  as  it  is  usually  made 
out  to  be. 

From  the  gold-field  where  I  had  contracted  my 
illness,  I  had  wandered,  partly  by  Government  assist- 
ance and  partly  by  my  own  exertions,  as  far  as  the 
famous  silver-mining  town  of  Broken  Hill,  just  over  the 
New  South  Wales  border.  Here,  in  the  midst  of  bar- 
baric waste  and  splendour,  a  relapse  seized  me,  and  for 
nigh  upon  three  weeks  I  hovered,  in  the  Town  Hospital, 
on  the  border-land  of  Life  arid  Death. 

When  I  said  farewell  to  that  kindly  institution,  I  was 
at  my  wits'  end  as  to  my  future.  I  had  no  money,  and 
I  was  without  the  means  of  earning  any.  Fortunately 
it  was  summer  time,  and  sleeping  in  the  open  air  was 
not  only  quite  possible  but  very  pleasant,  so  I  had  no 
concern  about  lodgings;  that,  however,  was  only  a 
minor  matter,  for  I  was  starving.  Oh,  how  bitterly  I 
regretted  having  forsaken  my  old  profession !  No  one 
will  ever  know  the  agony  I  endured.  I  could  have 
fought  the  world  for  the  v  3ry  crumbs  that  were  used  to 
fall  from  the  cuddy  table.  Day  after  day  I  toiled  up 
one  street  and  down  another,  from  mine  to  mine,  and 


140  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

gmelter  to  smelter,  seeking  for  the  work  which  nevei 
offered. 

One  sunset,  weary  and  horribly  sick  at  heart,  I  was 
crawling  back  to  my  usual  camping  place  on  the  out- 
skirts  of  the  town,  when  a  sudden  faintness  seized  me. 
The  whole  world  turned  black  before  my  eyes,  I  reeled, 
and  fell  unconscious  by  the  road-side. 

I  remember  nothing  of  what  occurred,  till  I  awoke  to 
find  myself  lying  upon  a  stretcher  in  a  small  tent.  A 
man  was  leaning  over  me,  and  when  my  eyes  opened 
he  seemed  to  regard  it  as  a  matter  for  considerable 
satisfaction.  I  tried  to  collect  my  thoughts  sufficiently 
to  ask  where  I  was,  but  seeing  my  lips  attempting  to 
form  the  sentence,  he  stopped  me  by  saying — 

"Naa,  naa,  laddie,  tha'  must  just  bide  still  a  bit 
longer.  Dunna  tha'  try  to  talk,  or  tha'll  be  maakin' 
thaself  ill  agin.  There's  na  call  for  hurry,  a  tell  tha'." 

That  my  kind  friend,  for  such  he  had  surely  proved 
himself,  was  a  miner,  I  had  no  doubt — his  dress,  his 
kit,  and  even  his  accent  proved  that ;  but  otherwise  I 
could  hazard  no  guess  as  to  where  I  was.  Being  too 
weak  to  bestow  much  consideration  upon  the  matter, 
I  closed  my  eyes  and  immediately  fell  asleep  again. 
When  I  woke  it  was  broad  daylight,  and  my  friend  had 
just  returned  from  shift.  He  hastened  to  put  food 
before  me,  talking  incessantly  the  while.  From  him  I 
learnt  that  he  and  his  mate  had  discovered  me  lying 
insensible  beside  the  road,  not  fifty  yards  from  his  tent; 
that  between  them  they  had  carried  me  in  and  put  me 
to  bed,  »nd  that  I  had  been  unconscious  for  something 


A   CHEQUERED    CABEEB,  14, 

like  six  hours.  Naturally,  I  expressed  my  gratitude, 
but  he  would  have  none  of  it,  bidding  me  get  well 
before  I  talked  of  saying  "Thank  you." 

My  lucky  star  was  evidently  in  the  ascendant. 
Under  his  care — for  while  the  kindest  and  gentlest,  he 
was  also  the  most  exacting  of  nurses — I  soon  made 
visible  improvement,  and  in  a  week  was  so  far  recovered 
as  to  be  able  to  get  up  and  potter  about  the  tent.  It 
was  time  for  me  to  be  thinking  of  moving  on  again. 

"  Well,  laddie,"  my  benefactor  said  to  me  one  day, 
"tha's  lookin'  braavly  noo." 

"  Thanks  to  you,"  I  hastened  to  reply,  "  for  without 
your  care,  John  Trelsar,  I  don't  know  where  I  should 
have  been  to-day ;  not  here,  at  any  rate." 

*  Softly  lad,  softly,  I  did  na  more  fa1  thee  than  tha'd 
do  fa'  me,  I  reckon,  so  well  era'  quits  to  it." 

"  That's  all  very  well ;  but  I  owe  my  life  to  you; 
you'll  never  make  me  see  anything  but  that.  And 
now,  I  wonder  what's  the  best  thing  for  me  to  do.  I 
can't  stay  idle  here ;  there's  no  work  to  be  got  in  the 
town,  so  unless  I  ship  to  sea  again,  I  don't  know  what's 
to  become  of  me." 

Trelsar  was  all  alive  in  a  second. 

"  I've  got  it,"  he  said,  slapping  his  huge  hand  on  his 
knee;  "there's  Seth  Polwill  below  there  in  Adelaide, 
look  see — working  in  the  Fire  Brigade — tha'  must  go  to 
he,  and  say  Jack  Trelsar  sent  tha',  and,  mark  my  words, 
he'll  put  thee  on  the  wa'  for  some'ut." 

This  Seth  Polwill  was  a  great  hero  of  my  benefactor's, 
upon  whose  appearance,  sayings,  and  actions,  he  waa 


142  Df    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

never  tired  of  discoursing.  They  were  Townies,  tbat  i^ 
they  hailed  from  the  same  place  in  the  Old  Country ; 
and  as  it  appeared  later,  it  was  to  Seth's  advice  that 
Trelsar  owed  his  emigration,  and  the  good  position  he 
now  occupied. 

"  That's  all  very  well,"  I  remarked,  "  but  how  am  I 
to  get  to  Adelaide  ?  I  haven't  a  red  cent  to  my  name, 
and  I  don't  think  I  can  screw  the  Government  for 
another  pass ;  they  were  nasty  enough  about  the  last." 

"  Now,  don't  thee  trouble  thaself  about  that,"  said 
John.  "  If  thee  wants  a  pound  or  two,  to  see  thee  on 
tha  way,  why  not  come  to  tha  friend,  Jan  Trelsar; 
never  fear,  lad,  but  what  all  trust  thee." 

Upon  my  deciding  to  accept  a  loan,  a  piece  of  paper, 
a  pen,  and  a  bottle  of  ink  were  obtained,  and  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  the  all-important  Polwill  produced. 

Armed  with  this,  the  very  next  morning  off  I  accord- 
ingly set  for  the  South,  arriving  in  due  course  in 
Adelaide.  So  soon  as  was  possible,  I  made  my  way  to 
the  Fire  Brigade  Station,  and  inquired  for  Seth  Polwill. 
The  firemen  were  at  dinner,  but  one  whom  I  should 
have  known  anywhere  for  the  man  I  sought,  came  to 
the  door  and  inquired  my  business.  He  was  a  good- 
looking,  well  set-up  fellow,  and  when  he  spoke,  I  noticed 
he  had  none  of  the  Cousin  Jack  dialect  so  conspicuous 
in  my  benefactor's  conversation.  Having  handed  him 
my  letter,  he  sat  down  on  the  wheel  of  the  big  engine 
to  examine  it.  He  read  it  through  two  or  three  times 
before  venturing  a  word;  then  rising,  he  shook  me 
gravely  by  the  hand,  and  inquired  after  Trelsar  s  health. 


A    CHEQUERED    CAREER.  143 

After  which,  he  remarked— 

"You  don't  look  well" 

I  replied  that  I  had  but  recently  recovered  from  a 
very  serious  illness,  and  this  led  me  on  to  narrate  how 
I  came  to  meet  his  friend.  He  listened  attentively,  and 
when  I  had  finished,  said — 

"  You  say  you've  been  a  sailor  t " 

I  replied  in  the  affirmative,  though  I  refrained  from 
telling  him  in  what  capacity,  for  I  had  a  certain  delicacy 
in  letting  people  know  that  I  had  shown  myself  suf- 
ficiently a  fool  to  give  up  a  chief  officer's  billet  afloat 
for  starvation  ashore. 

"  Well,  look  you  here,  Mr.  Ramsay/'  he  said,  "  I 
should  very  much  like  to  help  you  to  something,  if  onlj 
to  oblige  my  friend.  The  best  then  that  I  can  do  is  tc 
tell  you  that  there  is  a  vacancy  here.  We  want  anothei 
hand,  and,  as  perhaps  you  know,  we  prefer  sailors.  I) 
you  can  qualify,  I  don't  doubt  for  a  moment  but  that 
the  superintendent  will  put  you  on.  Take  my  advice, 
go  into  his  office  at  once,  and  ask  him  yourself.  You 
can't  do  any  harm  by  asking,  even  if  you  don't  get  what 
you  ask  for." 

Thanking  him  for  his  assistance,  I  went  straight  to 
the  superintendent's  room.  Once  there,  I  stated  my 
business,  making  the  best  possible  case  I  could  of  it. 
The  superintendent  eyed  me  narrowly. 

"  You  say  you've  been  to  sea,"  he  said  "  For  how 
long?" 

"  Twelve  years,"  I  replied. 

*  In  what  ships  ?  " 


144  IN   STRANGE   COMPAQ  l. 

I  gave  him  the  names  of  the  vessels  and  theii 
owners. 

"  In  what  capacity  did  you  serve  aboard  them  ?  " 

0  From  apprentice  to  chief  officer/'  I  said,  feeling  it 
would  be  the  safest  plan  to  tell  him  everything. 

He  stared  when  he  heard  my  answer,  and  looked  me 
carefully  up  and  down. 

"  I  don't  know  that  that's  exactly  a  recommendation, 
my  man,"  he  said.  "  Chief  officers  who  exchange  the 
sea  for  a  fireman's  billet  don't  exactly  answer  the 
description  of  man  I  want.  I  suppose  you're  aware 
we're  considered  a  crack  brigade  ?  If  I  take  you  on, 
you'll  have  to  prove  you're  no  skrimsb  anker.  Our 
motto  here  is  '  Smartness  and  sobriety/  do  you  under- 
stand ?  " 

1  remarked  that  I  did.     Then,  giving  me  a  note  to 
the  doctor,  who  would  examine  me,  he  bade  me  come 
back  to  him  next  day. 

To  make  a  long  story  short,  the  doctor's  examination 
proving  satisfactory,  I  was  enrolled  a  member  of  the 
Adelaide  Fire  Brigade,  with  permission  to  do  as  much 
work  as  the  day  had  room  for,  give  as  much  satisfaction 
as  possible,  and  risk  my  life  in  the  interest  of  the  city 
and  the  reputation  of  the  Brigade  as  often  as  oppor- 
tunity occurred.  All  things  considered,  it  was  by  no 
means  an  unpleasant  life,  and  until  the  novelty  wore 
off,  I  believe  I  enjoyed  it.  One  strange  coincidence, 
however,  happened  to  me  during  my  connection  with  it, 
which  I  take  to  be  so  extraordinary  that  I  must  ask 
your  indulgence  while  I  narrate  it. 


A    CHEQUERED    CAREER.  145 

One  miserable,  gusty  night,  early  in  winter,  the 
alarm  sounded  for  a  fire.  Our  promptness  was  pro- 
verbial, and  almost  before  the  bell  had  ceased  to  sound 
we  were  racing  for  the  scene.  It  turned  out  to  be  the 
New  Federation  Hotel,  in  King  William  Street,  and 
when  we  arrived  the  whole  building  was  one  enormous 
blaze.  The  fire  had  originated,  so  it  was  said,  in  a 
small  store  cupboard  behind  the  bar,  and  had  spread  all 
over  the  ground-floor,  thus  practically  cutting  off  the 
escape  of  those  lodged  in  the  rooms  above.  According 
to  the  manager's  statement,  nearly  every  bedroom  was 
occupied  that  night,  and  so  far  only  four  people  had 
effected  exits.  Within  two  minutes  of  our  arrival  we 
had  the  escapes  up  against  the  building,  and  were 
passing  the  terrified  occupants  down  as  fast  as  we  could 
lay  hold  of  them.  It  was  dangerous  work,  but  we  were 
not  paid  to  think  of  that. 

Suddenly,  at  a  side  window,  I  saw  a  woman  prepar- 
ing to  hurl  herself  into  the  street  below.  The  crowd 
noticed  her  too,  and  raised  a  yell.  Running  a  ladder 
round,  I  mounted  to  her  side,  and  before  she  could 
carry  out  her  purpose  had  taken  her  in  my  arms  and 
borne  her  safely  to  the  ground.  As  we  reached  it,  a 
weird,  dishevelled,  scallywag  of  a  man  rushed  towards 
us,  with  arms  outstretched,  crying,  "  Oh,  my  God,  my 
God,  she's  safe — my  wife  1 " 

In  that  "brief  moment  I  recognized  my  old  enemy^ 
Captain  Welbourne,  the  man  who  I  believed  had  deprived 
me  of  Maud  ! 

Next  day  I  learnt  that  he  was  on  his  wedding  tour, 


146  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

and  what  interested  me  far  more,  that  his  wife's  maiden 
name  was  Hawkhurst !  Two  points,  therefore,  raised 
themselves  for  my  consideration :  either  he  had  Lever 
loved  Maud ;  or  he  had  declared  himself,  and  she  had 
refused  him.  If  this  latter  supposition  were  correct, 
what  could  have  induced  her  action  ?  I  must  leave  it 
to  my  readers  to  imagine  what  agonies  of  self-reproach 
I  suffered  after  this  discovery.  I  saw  plainly  that  I  had 
wrecked  my  whole  life  by  one  little  foolish  exhibition 
of  jealousy,  and  that  too  without  the  slightest  cause  or 
justification.  A  hundred  times  a  day  I  cursed  my 
senseless  stupidity.  But  there,  what  is  to  be  gained  by 
opening  the  old  wound  ?  Rather  let  me  draw  a  curtain 
over  such  a  painful  subject,  one  which  even  to-day  I 
hardly  like  to  think  about. 

Now,  though  life  in  the  Fire  Brigade  might  and  un- 
doubtedly did  possess  attractions,  they  were  such  as 
were  liable  to  become  exceedingly  monotonous  after  a 
time.  So  it  chanced  that  when  I  had  been  employed 
therein  nearly  eight  months,  a  friend  heard  of  a  situa- 
tion as  store-keeper,  on  a  Darling  River  sheep  station, 
which  he  was  kind  enough  to  think  might  suit  me. 
At  his  suggestion  I  applied  for  the  position,  and  had 
the  good  fortune  to  secure  it. 

Sending  in  my  resignation  to  the  Board,  I  left  Ade- 
laide, and  proceeded  into  the  Bush.  But  the  billet  did 
not  come  up  to  expectations,  and  when  I  had  given 
it  a  good  trial,  I  discarded  it  in  favour  of  another  as 
cook  to  an  Overlanding  Party.  In  this  capacity  I 
wandered  far  afield,  with  the  result  that  at  the  end  of 


A    CHEQUERED   CAREER.  147 

eighteen  months  I  found  myself  in  Brisbane,  tired  of 
the  Bush,  and  pining  for  a  breath  of  sea  air  again. 

While  inactive  in  Brisbane,  an  English  letter  was 
forwarded  to  me  from  the  Melbourne  Post-office.  The 
writer  was  a  cousin,  and  her  mission  was  to  announce 
the  death  of  my  poor  old  mother,  after  a  brief  illness. 
The  blow,  as  may  be  supposed,  affected  me  keenly,  the 
more  so  because  I  could  not  but  feel  that,  all  things  con- 
sidered, I  had  not  been  the  son  to  her  that  she  deserved. 
Poor  old  lady,  I  never  knew  how  much  she  was  to  me 
until  I  had  lost  her.  Her  death,  and  the  thought  that 
I  should  never  see  her  loving  face,  or  hear  her  gentle 
voice  again,  seemed  to  sever  the  one  remaining  link 
that  united  me  to  my  old  life.  Could  I,  I  asked  my- 
self, be  the  same  person  as  the  little  boy  she  took  to 
school  at  Plymouth  ?  Could  I  be  the  same  John 
Ramsay  who  followed  her  into  Sir  Benjamin  Plowden's 
office,  so  many  years  ago  ?  Yes — the  same,  but  oh ! 
how  differently  situated  I  With  Virgil,  I  could  well  cry, 
u  0  mihi  praeteritos  referat  si  Jupiter  annos  !  "  Alas  I 
those  dear  dead  years,  how  bright  they  are  to  look 
back  upon,  yet  how  shamefully  I  misused  them  ! 

But  in  spite  of  the  bitterness  of  the  blow,  I  could  not 
go  on  brooding  over  my  loss  for  ever.  My  mother  was 
gone,  nothing  could  bring  her  back  to  me.  It  behoved 
me  now  to  look  after  myself,  for  my  necessities  were 
on  the  point  of  obtruding  themselves  upon  my  notice 
once  more. 

When  I  found  that  the  money  I  had  managed  to  save 
from  my  various  employments  was  running  short,  I 


148  IN   STKANGE   COMPANY. 

began  to  wonder  how  I  should  obtain  another  situation, 
The  prospect  looked  gloomy  enough  in  all  conscience, 
when  Fate,  which  was  steadily  bearing  me  on  towards  a 
certain  goal,  took  me  in  hand  again,  and  by  permitting 
me  to  overhear  a  certain  conversation,  led  me  into  a  track 
that  was  fraught  with  much  danger  to  my  future  peace 
The  speakers  were  the  owner  of  a  Thursday  Island 
Pearling  schooner,  and  a  well-known  boat-builder, 
Their  talk  had  reference  to  a  new  lugger  the  skipper 
had  lately  purchased,  and  the  difficulty  of  finding  hands 
to  work  her  North.  Here  was  the  very  chance  for 
me. 

As  soon  as  they  separated,  I  accosted  the  Pearler,  and 
offered  my  services.  When  he  heard  my  qualifications, 
he  engaged  me  at  once  ;  and  so  it  came  about  that  next 
day  I  was  a  seaman  aboard  the  Crested  Wave,  bound 
for  Thursday  Island  and  the  Pearl  fisheries. 

I  need  not  delay  you  while  I  enter  upon  any  descrip- 
tion of  the  voyage  northwards,  more  than  to  say  that 
we  arrived  safely  at  our  destination,  and  having  taken  a 
diver  aboard,  at  once  set  sail  again,  this  time  for  the 
Solomons,  where  we  remained  cruising  about,  with  fair 
success,  for  nigh  upon  three  months. 

Though  I  had,  on  several  occasions,  crossed  the 
Pacific  in  deep-water  ships,  this  was  the  first  time  I  had 
pottered  about  among  the  Islands  themselves,  and  the 
new  life  came  to  me  as  a  revelation.  Even  as  I  sit  here 
writing,  the  memory  of  those  glorious  latitudes  rises 
and  sends  a  thrill  through  me.  There  is  a  saying, 
that  the  man  who  has  once  known  the  Himalaya* 


A   CHEQUERED   CAREER.  149 

never  forgets  their  smell ;  I  say  that  the  man  who  has 
once  heard  the  thunder  of  the  surf  upon  the  reefs,  who 
has  smelt  the  sweet  incense  of  the  tropic  woods,  and  felt 
the  invigorating  breath  of  the  trade  winds  upon  his 
cheek,  can  never  rid  his  memory  of  the  fascination  of 
those  Southern  seas  I 

By  the  time  we  returned  to  Thursday  Island  a  fair 
sum  in  wages  was  owing  rne,  and  I  think  I  had  won  a 
good  reputation  with  my  skipper,  for  he  was  anxious 
that  I  should  take  a  holiday,  and  then  set  sail  with  him 
again.  I  resolved  to  think  about  it,  and  in  the  mean- 
time to  stretch  my  legs  for  a  week  or  two  ashore,  seeing 
what  was  to  be  seen,  and  as  far  as  possible  enjoying  the 
peculiar  delights  of  Thursday  Island. 

"  Come  with  me,"  said  a  shipmate  one  evening. 
"You  think  because  you've  seen  the  Japanese  you 
know  the  Island.  Why,  man,  you're  only  on  the 
outskirts ;  you  don't  even  know  Juanita ! " 

"  And  who's  Juanita  ? "  I  asked,  without  interest,  for 
I  was  wearied  to  death  of  the  Lizzies,  Follies,  Nancies, 
and  their  sisterhood. 

By  way  of  reply  he  ran  his  arm  through  mine,  and 
headed  along  the  beach,  presently  to  cry  a  halt  along- 
side the  palms  which  mark  the  entrance  to  the 
"  Orient "  Hotel  Knowing  this  house  to  be  the  resort 
of  mail-boat  skippers,  schooner-owners,  and  high-toned 
gentry  of  that  class,  and  to  have  a  fleecing  reputation, 
I  had  hitherto  religiously  avoided  it.  A  flood  of  bright 
light  streamed  from  the  doorway,  and  sounds  of 
laughter  invited  us  to  enter. 


150  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

A  couple  of  Pearlers  and  a  woman  were  the  only 
occupants  of  the  room.  The  men  were  of  no  account^ 
but  the  woman's  face  riveted  my  attention  at  once.  She 
was  not  exactly  the  most  beautiful  woman — I  mean  as 
far  as  refinement  went — that  I  had  ever  seen,  but  she 
was  certainly  the  handsomest.  As  we  entered,  her 
companions  bade  her  "good-night,"  and  went  out. 
Then  my  friend  introduced  me  in  proper  form. 

"  Mr.  Ramsay — Madame  Juanita." 

She  held  out  her  hand  and  bade  me  welcome,  and 
from  that  moment  I  was  a  lost  man.  What  sort  of 
fascination  it  was  that  she  exercised  over  me  I  cannot 
say ;  I  only  know  that  when  I  left  the  "  Orient "  and 
stumbled  out  into  the  starlit  night  again  I  had  for- 
gotten Maud,  forgotten  my  own  impoverished  condition, 
forgotten  my  self-respect,  and  was  madly,  desperately, 
absurdly  in  love  with  this  beautiful  and  mysterious 
creature. 


CHAPTER  HL 

SACRED  AND  PROFANE  LOVE, 

QOMEWHERE  or  other  I  remember  to  have  seen  a 
^  picture  of  the  two  sorts  of  love  which  may  enter 
man's  life.  I  think  it  was  called  "  Sacred  and  Profane 
Love,"  and  it  may  possibly  have  been  by  one  of  the 
Old  Masters.  But  wherever  or  whatever  it  was,  it 
seemed  to  me  that  I  had  now  had  experience  of  both 
passions.  Maud  was  the  first,  Juanita  was  the  second. 
I  had  loved  Maud  for  herself  alone ;  Juanita  fascinated 
me  purely  by  her  personal  charms,  and  by  a  certain 
Bohernianism  which,  while  it  occasionally  almost  fright- 
ened me,  held  me  in  chains,  that  were  to  all  intents 
and  purposes  stronger  than  links  of  iron.  For  it  must 
not  be  imagined  that  my  first  visit  to  the  "Orient" 
was  my  last.  In  fact,  now  that  I  had  once  fallen  her 
victim,  I  was  hardly  to  be  found  elsewhere.  As  the 
first  proof  of  the  power  she  exercised  over  me,  I 
declined  my  old  skipper's  offer  to  ship  for  another 
cruise,  preferring  idleness  and  poverty  ashore,  with  the 
opportunities  it  presented  of  seeing  the  woman  I  so 
slavishly  adored,  to  a  life  of  money-making  and  hard- 
ship at  sea. 


152  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

So  day  in  day  out  found  me  by  Juanita's  side,  either 
loafing  in  the  hotel  itself,  or  when  she  could  leave  her 
duties,  boating  in  the  bay,  wandering  about  the  island. 
or  climbing  Fortification  Hill  to  admire  the  beautiful 
panorama  visible  from  its  summit.  Looking  back  on 
that  period,  I  am  smitten  with  a  feeling  of  intense 
shame.  But  at  the  time  I  lived  only  to  be  constantly 
by  her  side.  Maud  was  as  much  forgotten  as  though 
she  had  never  existed. 

It  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  with  one  so 
fair  as  Juanita  I  should  have  the  field  entirely  to 
myself.  Women  of  her  stamp  were  too  uncommon  in 
Thursday  Island  to  lack  admirers.  But  among  all  my 
rivals  there  was  only  one  of  whom  I  entertained  any 
fear — a  Pole,  and  men  said  a  titled  refugee — by  name 
Panuroff.  He  was  a  big,  handsome  man,  with  a 
peculiarly  reckless  air,  certain  to  possess  a  great  fascin- 
ation for  susceptible  members  of  the  opposite  sex.  Not 
that  I  mean  in  any  way  to  infer  that  Juanita  encouraged 
his  advances,  for  I  think,  though  she  preferred  him  to 
the  majority  of  those  who  paid  court  to  her,  they  were 
not  always  on  the  best  of  terms.  How  she  came  to 
take  to  me  so  quickly  I  have  never  been  able  to  under- 
stand,  but  somehow  she  was  never  tired  of  listening  to 
my  adventures,  and  particularly  those  relating  to  my 
sea  career.  On  the  point  of  my  capabilities  to  take 
charge  of  and  navigate  a  vessel  she  cross-questioned 
me  continually,  until  I  felt  compelled  to  ask  if  she 
thought  of  setting  up  as  a  ship-owner  herself,  and 
wanted  *n<*  to  enter  her  employ.  She  laughed  the 


SACKED  AND  PROFANE  LOVE.       153 

matter  off,  saying  that  if  she  had  money  to  invest 
it  would  certainly  be  in  a  schooner ;  but  as  she  hadn't, 
well,  she'd  have  to  wait  until  she  got  it  before  talking 
about  officers  and  such  like.  In  fact,  this  idea  of 
possessing  a  boat  seemed,  as  far  as  I  could  judge,  to 
be  her  only  thought  and  aim  in  life.  But  her  real 
idea,  and  how  I  figured  in  working  it  out,  you  shall,  if 
you  have  not  already  guessed  it,  learn  directly. 

One  night  when  we  had  thoroughly  come  to  under- 
stand each  other,  I  hurried  down  as  soon  as  my  evening 
meal  was  over  to  the  "  Orient."  As  most  of  the  Pearl- 
ing luggers  were  at  sea,  it  was  a  slack  time  for  hotel- 
keepers,  and  when  I  entered  the  bar  Juanita  was  alone, 
hard  at  work  upon  her  interminable  calculations.  For 
nearly  an  hour  we  remained  in  conversation.  Then 
our  tete-d-tete  was  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  a 
third  party,  who,  as  ill-luck  had  it,  was  none  other  than 
Count  Panuroff  before-mentioned.  I  could  see  that 
Juanita  was  not  best  pleased  at  his  appearance,  and 
during  the  time  he  remained  in  the  room  her  behaviour 
towards  him  was  barely  civil.  He  noticed  this,  and 
his  glances  towards  myself  betokened  a  resentment 
that  only  waited  an  opportunity  to  take  active  form. 
Nor  can  I  with  truth  aver  that  I  did  not  let  him  see 
that  I  rejoiced  at  his  discomfiture.  When  Juanita  left 
him  and  returned  to  my  side  he  sat  himself  down  in  a 
corner,  and  watched  us  out  of  sullen,  half-closed  eyes. 
I  felt  sure  mischief  was  brewing,  and  I  was  not 
disappointed. 

Partly  for  the  purpose  of  annoying  him,  and  partly 


154  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

to  see  how  long  he  would  sit  in  his  corner,  sulking  like 
a  bear  with  a  sore  head,  I  prolonged  my  visit  until 
some  time  after  the  usual  hour  for  closing.  When  I 
left  the  house  it  was  nearly  twelve  o'clock — a  rough, 
tempestuous  night,  with  a  strong  wind  blowing,  and 
a  full  moon  dodging  inky  clouds  across  a  somewhat 
unhappy-looking  sky.  Leaving  the  Sea-Front  I  struck 
inland  towards  my  abode,  but  I  had  not  proceeded  very 
far  before  my  ear  caught  the  sound  of  footsteps  follow 
ing  me.  Presently  a  voice  I  hardly  recognized  called 
upon  me  to  stop.  I  did  so,  and  turning,  faced  my 
pursuer.  As  you  will  have  guessed,  it  was  Panuroff. 
He  came  up  to  me,  and  clutching  me  by  the  arm,  tried 
to  speak.  But  his  rage  was  so  great  that  for  the 
moment  it  not  only  deprived  him  of  speech,  but  shook 
him  like  the  palsy.  When  he  found  his  tongue  he 
blurted  out — 

"  I'll  kill  you !     I'll  kill  you !     I'll  kill  you  1  * 
He  would  have  gone  on  repeating  this  for  an  in- 
definite  time   had   I    not   thrown   off  his   hand,   and 
said — 

"  I  advise  you  to  be  a  little  more  careful,  my  friend, 
or  you'll  get  yourself  into  trouble.  In  this  country  you 
won't  be  allowed  to  go  about  killing  people  just  as  you 
please." 

My  coolness  only  seemed  to  heap  additional  fuel  on 
his  already  surcharged  fires.     He  almost  foamed  at  the 
mouth.     Grasping  my  arm  again,  he  hissed — 
"  Coward  !  coward  !    I  knew  you  were  a  coward  I  * 
Not  being  able  to  stand  this,  I  did  my  best  to  knock 


SACRED  AND  PROFANE  LOVE.       155 

him  down.  It  was  a  futile  attempt,  however,  for  he 
leapt  on  one  side,  and  in  doing  so  struck  me  a  heavy 
blow  on  the  side  of  my  face. 

"  There,"  he  cried,  almost  dancing  in  the  moonlight 
"What  now?" 

"  Now,"  I  said,  as  quietly  as  I  could  under  the 
circumstances,  "  you've  done  it,  and  I'll  have  your  life 
if  you're  twenty  times  mad  I  " 

"For  once  you  talk  like  a  man,"  he  remarked. 
"  Come  with  me,  and  we'll  settle  it  now  and  for  ever. 
She  shall  see  who  is  the  better  man." 

If  I  had  any  scruples  left,  that  reference  to  Juanita 
obliterated  them ;  and  so  side  by  side  we  tramped 
through  the  bush  round  the  elbow  of  the  hill  to  an 
open  spot  among  ferns  and  aloe  bushes,  about  the 
centre  of  the  island.  It  was  a  strange  place  surrounded 
by  giant  ant-hills,  which  in  many  cases  reared  them- 
selves quite  eight  feet  above  the  ground,  like  monuments 
in  a  well-populated  cemetery. 

Here  Panuroff  stopped  and  took  his  coat  off.  I 
followed  his  example.  Then  from  his  breast  he  drew 
a  sort  of  stiletto,  with  which,  I  suppose,  he  had  armed 
himself  on  purpose  for  the  present  occasion.  I  had 
of  course  my  sheath-knife.  While  we  were  maJting 
our  preparations  the  moon  emerged  from  behind  a 
bank  of  clouds,  and  as  she  did  so  the  wind  dropped 
and  the  faint  clang  of  eight  bells  came  up  to  us  from  a 
steamer  in  the  harbour. 

I  could  hardly  believe  that  I  was  standing  face  to 
face  with  a  fellow-creature,  my  one  aim  and  object 


156  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

being  to  take  his  life.  But  it  is  a  strange  fact  that 
man  is  never  so  dangerous  as  when  his  passions  are 
not  roused,  that  is  to  say,  when  he  is  able  to  enter 
upon  the  work  of  butchery  with  a  contemplative  and 
evenly  balanced  mind.  Contrary  to  what  I  should 
have  expected,  I  had  not  the  least  fear  as  to  the 
result. 

For  perhaps  a  minute  we  stood  regarding  each  other. 
T  could  hear  his  excited  breathing  as  he  prepared  for 
his  spring.  Then  like  a  wild  cat  he  gathered  himself 
together,  and  leapt  towards  me.  I  sprang  on  one  side, 
but  not  before  his  knife  had  grazed  my  arm.  The 
struggle  had  commenced  in  downright  earnest.  Like 
game  cocks,  we  circled  round  and  round  each  other, 
waiting  and  watching  for  an  opportunity  to  strike. 
It  was  no  child's  play,  for  we  were  both  active  men  in 
first-class  training. 

Suddenly  my  foot  caught  in  a  boulder,  and  for  a 
second  my  attention  was  diverted  from  his  eyes.  It 
was  fatal;  with  one  great  bound  he  rushed  in  upon 
me,  and  clutching  me  round  the  neck,  attempted  to 
drive  his  knife  between  my  shoulder  and  my  neck. 
With  the  strength  of  despair  I  clutched  the  wrist  of 
the  hand  that  held  the  knife,  and  backwards  and 
forwards,  round  and  round,  here,  there,  and  everywhere 
about  that  little  plot  of  ground  we  passed,  swaying  to 
and  fro,  breathing  hard,  and  wrestling  for  our  very  lives. 
Surely  such  a  struggle  the  islr-nd,  with  all  its  strange 
and  mysterious  population,  could  never  have  witnessed 
before  I  At  last  my  right  hand  reached  his  throa,t— 


SACRED  AND  PROFANE  LOVE.       157 

my  left  still  held  the  wrist — I  closed  my  fingers  on  hia 
windpipe. 

Such  is  the  strange  construction  of  the  human  mind, 
that  at  that  moment,  when  both  our  lives  trembled  in 
the  balance,  I  remember,  distinctly,  thinking  what  a 
wonderful  contrivance  the  Adam's  apple  of  the  throat 
must  be. 

Further  and  further  his  head  went  back ;  his  breath 
came  from  him  in  thick  gasps.  The  moon  shone  clear, 
and  by  her  light  I  could  see  the  look  of  despair  settling 
in  his  eyes.  At  last,  to  avoid  being  throttled,  he  fell 
to  the  ground,  I  with  him.  Here  the  battle  re-com- 
menced, for  both  our  holds  were  loosened  by  the  fall. 
Rolling  over,  he  seized  upon  me,  and  raised  his  knife ; 
yet  again  I  clutched  the  hand  that  held  it,  and  with 
one  gigantic  effort  threw  him  off;  but  the  exertion 
was  too  much  for  me,  and  before  I  could  rise  he  was 
upon  me,  and  had  stabbed  me  twice.  I  remember  no 
more. 

When  I  recovered  my  senses,  I  was  too  weak  and 
faint  to  care  very  much  where  I  was.  But  somehow, 
in  a  hazy  sort  of  fashion,  I  got  hold  of  the  idea  that  I 
was  back  in  John  Trelsar's  tent  at  Broken  Hill.  After 
a  while,  however,  curiosity  got  the  upper  hand  of  in- 
difference, and  I  re-opened  my  eyes  to  look  about  me. 
It  was  a  strange  sort  of  room  that  I  found  myself  in, 
and  one  that  it  did  not  take  Die  a  year  to  see,  had 
lately  been  in  the  occupation  of  Chinamen.  A  couple 
of  celestial  jumpers  hung  on  pegs  behind  the  door,  and 
*n  opium  pipe  stood  on  a  shelf  upon  the  wall  Through 


158  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

the  smaL  window  opposite  my  bed  I  could  distinctly 
hear  the  sound  of  surf  breaking  on  a  shore,  and  as  if 
to  prove  that  my  reasoning  powers  were  in  no  way 
impaired  by  my  terrible  experience,  I  made  it  out  that 
I  must  either  be  on  one  of  the  neighbouring  islands, 
or  on  a  part  of  Thursday  which  I  had  never  visited. 
For  several  reasons  I  inclined  towards  the  latter  belief. 

How  I  knew  I  was  not  in  any  proximity  to  the 
township  itself  was  the  fact,  plainly  discernible  to  one 
having  experience  in  such  matters,  that  the  sea  was  not 
breaking  on  sand,  but  on  shingle ;  and  what  was  more 
important  still,  among  mangrove  trees.  Now  I  knew 
that  the  beach  on  the  settlement  side  of  Thursday 
Island  was  sandy,  while  that  on  the  other  side  I  had 
heard  was  pebbly ;  on  the  former  there  were  no  man- 
groves, on  the  latter  they  abounded.  But  observation 
of  these  things  was  beyond  me  for  very  long,  so,  feeling 
tired,  I  turned  my  face  to  the  wall,  and  was  presently 
asleep  again. 

Many  hours  must  have  elapsed  before  I  woke  ;  when 
I  did  the  sun  had  set,  and  the  room  would  have  been 
dark  but  for  a  candle  burning  on  a  table  by  my  side. 
Rather  dazed  by  my  long  sleep,  I  looked  around  me, 
and  as  I  did  so  my  eyes  lighted  upon  the  most  extra- 
ordinary being  I  think  I  have  ever  beheld  in  my  life. 

He  was  an  albino,  and  what  was  worse,  a  dwarf 
albino.  He  sat  upon  a  high  box,  and  was  staring  hard 
at  me;  his  hair,  very  long  and  snow-white,  was  just 
moved  by  the  draught  from  -,he  window ;  and  his  eyes, 
which  I  discovered  later  to  be  of  a  peculiar  shade  of 


SACRED  AND  PROFANE  LOVE.       159 

pink,  flashed  and  twinkled  like  enormous  rubies.  All 
the  time  he  cracked  his  finger-joints,  first  one  way,  then 
another,  then  backwards,  then  forwards,  with  a  most 
alarming  noise. 

When  he  saw  that  I  was  awake,  he  scrambled  down 
from  his  perch  and  approached  me,  saying  in  a  curiously 
high-pitched  voice — 

*  Ho  1  ho  !  my  friend,  so  you  are  awake  again  I  WeH 
you've  had  a  wonderful  nap,  twelve  hours  on  end,  or 
I'm  a  Dutchman." 

I  answered  that  I  was  surprised  to  hear  it,  and  went 
on  to  ask  where  I  was,  and  how  I  came  there. 

"  Well,  that's  a  long  story,"  he  said,  still  cracking  his 
fingers,  "  but  if  you  want  to  hear  it,  I'll  tell  you.  I 
found  you  on  the  bend  of  the  hill  early  this  morning, 
lying  like  a  dead  man,  with  pints  of  good  blood  run  to 
waste  round  about  you.  From  the  look  of  the  ground 
I  fixed  it,  young  man,  that  you'd  been  fighting.  But 
as  that  was  no  business  of  mine,  I  didn't  take  any  heed 
of  it,  but  just  picked  you  up,  and  brought  you  in  here, 
where  you've  been  ever  since." 

He  did  not  tell  me  that  had  I  been  any  other  than 
John  Ramsay  he  would  have  let  me  lie  there.  But 
the  reason  for  that,  and  ho  v  I  came  to  hear  of  it,  you 
shall  know  later  on. 

Of  course  I  thanked  him  for  his  charity,  but  again, 
like  John  Treslar,  he  would  not  hear  of  it.  Among  his 
many  extraordinary  talents,  he  numbered  a  knowledge 
of  surgery,  and  under  his  care  I  made  rapid  progress 
towards  recovery.  Fortunately,  though  the  wounds 


160  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

Panuroff  had  inflicted  upon  me  were  deep,  they  were 
by  no  means  dangerous. 

At  the  end  of  the  week  I  was  almost  myself  again. 
All  the  time,  my  strange  little  benefactor  was  indefatig 
able  in  his  attentions,  and  pretended  to  take  a  wonderful 
interest  in  myself  and  my  welfare.  Among  other  pecu- 
liarities, he  was  as  inquisitive  as  an  old  woman,  and  before 
I  had  known  him  a  week,  he  had  not  only  drawn  from 
oie  the  name  of  my  antagonist  (whom  I  was  rejoiced 
to  hear  had  fled  the  settlement,  believing  he  had  killed 
tne),  but  had  made  himself  conversant  with  my  passion 
for  Juanita.  On  his  own  side  he  was  more  reticent, 
and  do  what  I  would,  I  could  not  draw  out  of  him 
either  his  business  on  the  island,  or  in  fact  anything 
important  connected  with  himself  or  his  affairs.  That 
he  had  seen  more  of  the  world  than  even  the  majority 
of  tho&e  who  consider  themselves  great  travellers,  I 
soon  gathered ;  that  he  was  for  some  years  in  Chili,  was 
another  thing  I  discovered.  But  beyond  these  two 
small  chcumstances,  I  could  learn  nothing  of  his  past 
One  obligation  he  imposed  in  return  for  what  he  had 
done  for  me,  and  that  was,  that  I  should  never 
mention  him  to  any  living  soul,  and  especially  not  to 
Juanita. 

"  Why  especially  not  to  Juanita  ?  "  I  asked,  surprised 
that  he  should  bring  her  into  the  matter. 

"  Because  women  wonder,  and  when  they  wonder 
they  pry,  and  when  they  pry  they  make  mischief,  and 
when  they  make  mischief  they're  the  devil,  and  there 
isn't  room  for  Satan  and  oie  in  this  house." 


SACRED   AND    PROFANE   LOVE.  161 

He  paused  for  a  minute,  h.s  twinkling  little  eyes 
watching  me  all  the  time,  and  then  went  on — 

"  You  see,  my  appearance  is  against  me,  and  as  I'm 
sensitive  on  the  point,  I  don't  want  to  make  new 
friends.  There  you  have  it  in  a  nutshell.  If  you  told 
your  sweetheart  anything  about  me,  she'd  want  to  see 
me,  and  then  the  mischief  would  be  done." 

Little  knowing  to  what  I  was  pledging  myself,  I 
readily  gave  the  promise  he  asked  of  me,  and  Mien 
bidding  him  good-bye,  set  off  across  the  island  (for  his 
house  was,  as  I  had  conjectured,  on  the  side  farthest 
from  the  township)  to  Juanita. 

I  found  her  as  usual  in  the  bar,  and  her  surprise  at 
seeing  me  was  either  complimentary  or  not  as  I  chose 
to  take  it.  She  informed  me  that  she  had  made  up 
her  mind  I  had  decamped  from  the  island.  And  when 
I  told  her  what  had  occasioned  my  absence,  she  said 
she  had  always  thought  something  of  the  sort  would 
happen,  for  Panuroff  had  dropped  hints  which  frightened 
her.  Why  she  had  not  warned  me  I  could  not  make 
out,  and  indeed  her  whole  attitude  towards  myself 
was  extremely  puzzling.  Of  course  she  knew  I  loved 
her,  not  only  because  she  could  see  it  in  my  face,  but 
because  I  had  reiterated  the  statement  a  thousand 
times  or  more ;  but  though  she  professed  to  return  my 
affection,  at  times  I  could  not  help  a  feeling  that  it  was 
not  quite  as  genuine  as  she  pretended. 

Just  as  before,  her  one  thought  was  to  procure  a 
boat,  in  which  to  sail  among  the  islands.  Hardly  a 
day  went  by  without  some  reference  to  it,  until  I  began 


162  IS  STRANGB   COMPANY. 

to  hate  even  the  sound  of  the  word  "  schooner."  At 
last  one  night  she  asked  me  point  blank  if  I  could  see 
any  way  to  help  her;  letting  me  understand  very 
plainly  that  her  future  treatment  of  myself  would 
depend  in  a  great  measure  upon  my  answer. 

Though  I  knew  such  a  thing  was  next  door  to  im- 
possible, I  did  not  say  so,  but  intimated  that  she  should 
first  tell  me  why  she  wanted  to  go.  Then  the  whole 
mystery  came  out  Drawing  me  into  a  corner,  with 
the  prettiest  little  air  of  confidence,  she  told  me  the 
following  remarkable  story : — 

"  My  Jack,"  she  said,  taking  my  hands  in  hers,  and 
speaking  with  the  foreign  accent  that  lent  such  a  charm 
to  her  simplest  words,  "  have  pity  on  your  poor  Juanita. 
I  am  in  your  hands  entirely,  for  I  have  no  one  to  advise 
me,  save  you.  Now  you  shall  know  all  my  sad  history. 
As  I  have  so  often  told  you,  I  am  from  Santiago,  and  it 
was  from  a  convent  there  that  I  ran  away  to  marry  the 
young  Englishman,  who,  you  may  have  heard,  so  cruelly 
ill-treated  me.  Together  we  wandered  here,  there,  and 
everywhere ;  always  in  debt,  always  in  difficulty ;  to-day 
we  had  plenty;  to-morrow  we  had  nothing.  My  husband 
had  squandered  two  fortunes  already,  and  when  we  were 
at  our  last  pinch,  a  third  came  to  him.  As  you  know 
is  often  the  way,  Jack,  he  suddenly  grew  as  mean  and 
stingy  as  before  he  had  been  spendthrift  and  reckless. 

"Instead  of  living  as  became  our  new  fortune,  we 
literally  starved.  That  he  had  drawn  all  his  money 
from  the  bank  I  discovered ;  but  what  he  did  with  it,  or 
where  he  kept  it,  I  could  never  find  out.  Then  he  fell 


SACRED   AND   JP11OFANK   LOVE.  163 

ill,  and  the  doctors  said  he  must  have  a  long  sea  voyage, 
and  absolute  rest,  or  his  brain  would  become  unhinged. 
If  the  truth  were  only  known,  I  think  it  was  so  then. 

"  We  were  in  San  Francisco  at  the  time,  and  I  tried 
hard  to  persuade  him  to  sail  for  England.  He  would 
not  go,  making  the  excuse  that  it  would  cost  more 
money  than  he  could  afford.  But  as  he  had  to  have 
rest,  he  took  passages  for  himself  and  for  me  (though 
he  grudged  my  accompanying  him)  on  board  a  tiny 
schooner  trading  among  the  islands. 

"  We  set  sail,  but  instead  of  the  voyage  doing  him 
good,  he  grew  weaker  and  weaker  every  hour.  Oh,  the 
horror  of  those  days,  I  shall  never  forget  it !  At  last 
he  died,  making  the  captain  promise  to  bury  him  on  an 
island  we  were  close  to  at  the  time. 

"  The  funeral  over,  we  came  on  here.  Having  no  money 
to  take  me  further,  I  was  compelled  to  remain  in  the 
island,  but  immediately  on  my  arrival,  I  wrote  to  his 
lawyers,  to  see  what  they  could  tell  me  of  my  affairs. 
They  replied  that  my  husband  had  drawn  his  money 
from  the  bank  in  gold,  and  had  hinted  to  them  that  he 
was  going  to  bury  it.  But  something  further,  mark 
you !  That,  to  the  best  of  their  knowledge,  he  always 
carried  the  directions  for  finding  it  in  a  locket  round 
his  neck.  As  soon  as  I  read  that,  I  remembered  that 
he  did  wear  a 'locket,  which  he  had  once  been  furiously 
angry  with  me  for  attempting  to  open. 

"  So  you  see,  Jack,  nothing  remains  for  me  but  to 
return  to  that  island,  dig  up  my  husband's  body,  and 
recover  the  precious  locket.  Now  I  hav*  told  you  my 


164  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

secret;  I  am  in  your  hands  entirely.  I  love  you,  and 
I  trust  you  implicitly.  If  any  one  else  finds  the  locket 
before  me,  I  am  ruined.  Think  what  I  have  suffered 
in  this  place.  Then  tell  me  will  you  help  me — yes 
or  no?" 

Tears  were  in  her  eyes,  arid  she  looked  so  beseech- 
in  gly  at  me  that  I  was  compelled  to  take  her  in  my 
arms  and  comfort  her  with  promises  of  help.  That  her 
story  was  true,  I  never  for  one  moment  doubted. 

When  I  left  the  "  Orient/'  it  was  with  the  firm  in- 
tention of  finding  money  enough  somewhere  to  hire  a 
schooner,  that  I  might  assist  her  in  her  search.  I  felt, 
to  do  a  service  of  this  kind  would  be  to  win  her  grati- 
tude for  ever,  and  turing  this  over  in  my  mind,  I  set 
out  for  the  Albino's  residence,  resolved  to  plac?  the 
matter  before  him. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

RAMSAY  BECOMES   A  8HIP-OWNEB. 

TTTHEN  I  entered  the  Albino's  abode  and  confronted 
him,  he  gave  a  strange  sort  of  laugh. 

"  Why,  John  Ramsay,"  he  cried,  "  what  on  earth's 
the  matter  with  you  ?  You  look  as  doleful  as  the  man 
whose  wife  ran  away  with  a  tinker,  and  took  his  last 
five  pounds  to  pay  their  travelling  expenses.  What's 
wrong  ? " 

Thereupon  I  sat  myself  down,  and  told  him  as  much 
of  the  story  as  I  thought  would  enable  him  to  advise 
me.  He  curled  himself  up  on  his  bed  opposite  me, 
swinging  his  legs  and  cracking  his  fingers  till  I  had 
finished.  Then  he  whistled  in  a  strange,  uncanny 
fashion. 

"  You  say  your  sweetheart,  what's  her  name — Juanita 
— buried  her  husband  on  one  of  the  islands  out  yonder?' 
he  began,  jerking  his  thumb  over  his  shoulder  in  the 
direction  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  generally. 

I  nodded. 

"She  never  before  told  you  she  was  a  widow  ( 
believe  ? " 


166  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

u  Well,  all  things  considered,  it  was  hardly  likely  she 
would.  What's  more,  I  never  asked  her." 

"  How  do  you  know  she's  not  leading  you  on  ?  How 
d'you  know  she  doesn't  want  to  get  you  out  to  sea,  and 
then  collar  the  whole  caboose  ?  It's  a  pity  you're  so 
simple  with  women,  isn't  it  ?  " 

Thinking  this  question  hardly  required  an  answer,  I 
lit  my  pipe  for  something  to  do,  and  waited  for  him  to 
continue.  All  this  time  he  had  never  taken  his  eyes 
off  me,  but  looked  me  through  and  through  as  if  en- 
deavouring to  read  my  very  soul.  He  was  evidently 
revolving  some  problem  in  his  mind,  and  it  must  have 
been  a  puzzler,  if  the  expression  on  his  face  could  be 
taken  as  evidence.  When  he  spoke,  it  was  with  a 
purpose. 

"Look  here,  John  Ramsay,  I  like  the  cut  of  your 
jib,  or  you  wouldn't  be  sitting  there  opposite  me.  I'm 
generally  considered  an  '  old  Bob  Ridley '  to  cross,  but 
any  man  '11  tell  you  I  make  an  up  and  down  good  friend. 
As  I  say,  I've  taken  a  fancy  to  you,  and  what's  more, 
I've  scraped  together  a  bit  of  money  here  and  there. 
Tell  me  one  thing, — are  you  sure  this,  what's  her  out- 
landish name  again — Juanita — is  really  fond  of  you  ? " 

"  How  can  I  tell  ?     She  says  she  is." 

"  And  you're  fool  enough  to  think  you  can't  be  happy 
without  her  ? " 

u  If  it  is  foolish  to  think  so,  I  am.  What  are  you 
iriving  at  ?  " 

He  scratched  his  head  musingly.  Presently  he  asked — 

"How  *nuch  d'you  think   *.t  would  oost  to  hire  a 


RAMSAY  BECOMES  A  SHIP-OWNER.  167 

schooner  for  the  trip  down  to  this  island  she  talks 
about?" 

"I  don't  know,  because  she  hasn't  told  me  where 
the  island  is." 

"Well,  now,  that's  what  I  call  a  pity,  but  at  any 
rate" — here  he  leant  towards  me  and  dropped  his 
voice  almost  to  a  whisper — "if  you  think  your  chance 
with  her  hangs  on  your  finding  money  enough  for  that 
cruise  dash  my  wig  if  I  won't  lend  it  to  you." 

If  he  had  offered  to  produce  the  moon  from  his 
waistcoat  pocket,  and  give  me  a  bite  of  it,  I  could  not 
have  been  more  surprised.  He  was  the  last  man  in  the 
world  I  should  have  expected  to  receive  assistance 
from.  So,  for  a  second  or  two,  I  hardly  knew  what  to 
say,  then  I  managed  to  stammer  out — 

"That's  awfully  generous  of  you  seeing  you  know 
nothing  about  me;  but  do  you  mean  it?  Honest  In- 
jun?" 

"Real  downright  honest  Injun!" 

In  his  excitement  he  had  struggled  down  from  his 
bed,  and  now  stood  before  me  as  weird  a  picture  in 
the  half  light  as  any  man  could  wish  to  see. 

"Well,  there  you  are,''  he  said;  "there's  my  offer 
— take  it  or  leave  it,  just  as  you  please.  Up  to  three 
hundred  pounds  the  money's  yours;  come  for  it  when 
you  will.'' 

"But  I  may  never  be  able  to  repay  you.  Remem- 
bet,  bar  what  I've  told  you,  you  don't  know  anything 
of  me." 

"Never  mind  that;  I  like  the  cut  of  your  jib,  that's 


168  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

enough  for  me.  If  you  can't  repay  me  inside  of  a  year 
you  may  before  I  die.  At  any  rate,  there  it  is,  and 
good  luck  go  w.th  you.  Only,  remember  your  promise — 
not  a  word  to  Juanita  of  me ;  you'll  find  it  safest  in  the 
long  run  to  let  her  suppose  you're  doing  it  all  yourself.1 

Had  I  only  known  then  the  reasons  which  actuated 
this  surprising  offer,  I  doubt  if  I  should  have  been  so 
quick  to  accept  it;  but  not  being  able  to  see  into  the 
future,  of  course  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  avert  the 
trouble  that  was  threatening  my  devoted  head. 

As  soon  as  I  could  decently  escape  him,  I  made  my 
excuses,  and  set  off  for  the  township  to  tell  the  good 
news  to  Juanita. 

So  high  were  my  hopes,  and  such  was  my  exultation 
at  having  brought  the  matter  to  such  a  highly  suc- 
cessful issue,  that  I  can  recall  nothing  of  my  walk  until 
I  found  myself  entering  the  verandah  of  the  Orient 
Hotel.  For  a  moment  I  lingered  on  the  threshold, 
listening  to  the  music  of  Juanita's  voice  within.  When 
I  entered,  it  was  to  find  her  leaning  across  the  counter, 
in  earnest  conversation  with  a  tall  Pearler,  whom  I  had 
seen  hovering  about  her  before.  Now,  it  was  a  curious 
thing,  that  though  I  had  hurried  with  all  the  speed 
I  could  command  to  tell  her  the  news,  and  had  been 
picturing  to  myself  the  rapturous  way  in  which  she 
would  receive  it,  on  seeing  her  thus  engaged  I  almost 
regretted  having  such  good  tidings  to  impart. 

Whether  she  was  out  of  patience  with  me  for  some- 
thing I  had  done,  or  whether  she  purposely  wished  to 
make  me  jealous,  I  do  not  know ;  at  any  rate,  save  for 


RAxMSAY    BECOMES    A    SHIP-OWNER.  169 

a  little  nod,  she  took  no  notice  of  my  entrance,  but 
returned  to  her  conversation  with  the  stranger,  leaving 
me  to  cool  my  heels  and  scowl  till  she  should  deign  to 
speak  to  me.  After  a  while  the  Pearler  seemed  to 
recollect  business  elsewhere ;  he  drank  up  his  liquor, 
and  went  out,  leaving  us  together.  She  put  his  glass 
under  the  counter  to  be  washed,  and  then  came  along 
the  bar  to  where  I  stood. 

«  Well,"  she  said. 

"  Well,"  I  replied,  now  thoroughly  angered. 

"  If  you've  nothing  more  to  say  than  that,"  she  con- 
tinued spitefully,  "  you'd  better  go  home  and  sleep. 
You've  been  drinking  !  " 

"  It's  a  lie,"  I  said  roughly,  "  and  you  know  it ,  but 
if  you  think  you're  going  to  stir  me  into  quarrelling 
with  you,  you're  very  much  mistaken.  I  wouldn't 
quarrel  with  you  to-night  for  a  thousand  pounds.  But 
I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do ;  I'll  break  the  head  of  that 
jackanapes  you  were  talking  to  just  now,  if  he  cornea 
fooling  round  here  again  while  I'm  on  hand." 

"  You're  very  rude,"  she  said,  tossing  her  head,  "  and 
you're  also  very  cruel.  I  must  refuse  to  talk  to  you  any 
more.  Leave  me,  and  come  back  when  you're  sober." 

"  Very  well,"  I  said,  "  I  will  leave  you,  and  what's 
more  to  the  point,  I'll  make  you  a  bet  you'll  be  sorry 
for  this.  I  came  to  tell  you  some  news  about  your 
schooner  that  would  have  pleased  you,  but  I'll  see  you 
dead  before  you  shall  hear  it  now." 

So  saying,  I  swung  on  my  heel  and  left  the  house. 

It  would  have  been  a  bad  business  for  any  man  who 


170  IN   STRAN GJfi   COMPANY. 

might  have  crossed  me  that  night,  for  I  was  in  about  as 
vile  a  temper  as  it  would  be  possible  to  be.  So,  unable 
to  trust  myself  among  men,  I  made  for  the  hill-side,  and 
started  walking  about  the  back  of  the  island. 

I  must  have  wandered  all  night,  for  breakfast-time 
discovered  me  not  more  than  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
Albino's  door.  With  a  yearning  for  some  one  to  impart 
my  sorrows  to,  I  made  towards  it,  and  entered  in  time 
to  catch  my  friend  at  his  meal.  His  keen  eyes  saw  in 
an  instant  that  something  was  wrong. 

"  You've  been  quarrelling  with  Juanita,"  he  began. 
"Don't  deny  it;  I  can  see  it  in  your  face.  Well, 
you're  a  bigger  fool  than  I  figured  you.  What  was  it 
about  ? " 

When  I  told  him,  he  gave  me  a  glance  full  of  such 
withering  contempt  that  I  almost  quailed  before  it 

"I  thought  it  was  a  man  I  was  helping;  as  I  live, 
it's  only  a  school-girl !  Did  she  forget  to  say  he  was 
a  pretty  boy,  and  to  kiss  him,  and  to  chuck  him  under 
the  chin  then  ?  " 

His  raillery  was  more  than  I  could  stand,  so  being 
unwilling  to  quarrel  with  him  too,  I  got  up  to  go.  But 
this  by  no  means  suited  him. 

"  Sit  down,"  he  snapped,  pointing  with  a  long  fore- 
finger to  the  kerosene  case  which  did  duty  for  a  chair ; 
"sit  down  and  tell  me  what  you  propose  to  do  now; 
or,  what's  more  to  the  point,  I'll  tell  you  what  you 
Bhall  do." 

"  What  ? " 
Why,  you  shall  just  eat  your  breakfast  here,  my 


RAMSAY   BECOMES   A    SHIP-OTOtfER.  171 

boy,  and  then  go  back  to  the  '  Orient '  and  eat  humble 
pie." 

"  Never  I  *  I  cried.     "  I'll  see  you  damned  first ! " 

"  Silence,  fool !  "  he  almost  shrieked.  "  You  shall  eat 
just  as  much  dirt  as  she  chooses  to  give  you.  Do  you 
think  I'm  going  to  let  you  spoil  this  contract  for  a 
ha'porth  of  humility  ?  That's  not  my  way.  And  when 
you've  talked  her  round ° 

"  Supposing  she  won't  be  talked  round  ?  * 

"  Suppose  your  grandmother  I  She's  a  woman,  and 
if  you  go  the  right  way  to  work,  you  ought  to  be  able 
to  do  what  you  like  with  her.  Then  you'll  let  her 
understand  that  you  have  money  to  invest,  and  after 
that  you'll  find  all  go  smooth  as  buttermilk." 

"  I  don't  like  making  myself  cheap." 

"  Child,  you've  got  to  ;  you've  fairly  got  to  grovel,  or 
quarrel  with  me.  Now  just  pack  your  traps,  and 
clear  out  of  this  ;  I  want  to  wash  up." 

In  obedience  to  his  command  I  returned  to  the 
township,  and  once  more  entered  the  "  Orient.'1  Juanita 
was  not  in.  She  had  gone  for  a  walk  along  the  beach. 
Inquiring  the  direction,  I  followed  it,  and  soon  dis- 
covered her  seated  on  the  side  of  Fortification  Hill, 
gazing  across  the  blue  strip  of  sea  to  where  the  main- 
land of  Australia  pushes  its  head  up  above  the  horizon. 
Numbers  of  white-sailed  pearling  craft  dotted  the  bay ; 
a  missionary  schooner  was  going  about  on  her  second 
board  towards  her  moorings ;  and  so  still  was  the  air, 
that  the  sound  of  hammering  came  quite  distinctly 
from  a  lugger  at  anchor  under  the  shadow  01  the  Prince 


172  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

of  Wales'  Island,  nearly  a  mile  away.  As  I  approached 
her,  Juanita  looked  up  and  saw  nie. 

The  scene  which  the  Albino  had  arranged  for  m€ 
was  not  destined  to  be  put  into  practice,  for  she  took 
the  matter  into  her  own  hands,  and  when  I  had  seated 
myself  beside  her,  fell  to  crying,  and  bitterly  reproach- 
ing herself  for  what  she  termed  her  "  wickedness  "  on 
the  preceding  night.  I  endeavoured  to  soothe  her,  but 
it  was  only  when  she  had  convinced  herself  of  my 
forgiveness  that  she  deigned  to  be  comforted. 

"  Oh,  my  Jack,"  she  said,  brushing  away  her  tears, 
"you  don't  know  how  angry  I've  been  with  myself  for 
treating  you  so  I  Let  me  hear  again  that  you  forgive  me." 

For  the  sixth  time  I  reiterated  the  fact,  and  only 
then  would  she  let  me  say  anything  further.  The 
breach  was  completely  healed.  When  I  told  her  the 
good  news  her  rapture  knew  no  bounds;  she  lavished 
kisses  upon  me,  calling  me  by  all  sorts  of  pet  names, 
both  Spanish  and  English,  and  continually  urged  me  to 
make  haste,  as  if  it  could  be  possible  for  us  to  set  sail 
that  very  evening. 

"  Oh,  how  good  you  are  to  me  I  *  she  repeated. 
"And  what  boat  do  you  think  you  can  get?  There's 
Phelp's  Ocean  Queen,  but  she's  too  large ;  there's  the 
Alberta,  but  she's  not  large  enough.  Oh,  what  boat 
can  we  find  ? " 

"  I  was  thinking  of  the  Mother  of  Pearl"  I  answered. 
"  She's  quite  big  enough  ;  and  I  know  Jameson  would 
l«t  us  buy  her  outright  fot  a  small  sum  cash.  He's  in 
low  water,  and  wants  a  smaller  boat" 


RAMSAY    BECOMES    A   SHIP-OWNER.  173 

MYes;  she  would  do  beautifully,"  she  continued, 
clapping  her  hands.  "You  must  go  and  see  about  hei 
this  very  hour,  and  then  we  may  get  away  to-morrow, 
perhaps/' 

As  she  said  this  she  looked  up  into  my  face  with 
such  an  air  of  entreaty  that  I  convinced  myself  that 
I  was  more  in  love  with  her  than  ever. 

"  Well,  hardly  to-morrow,  I  fancy,"  I  replied.  "  You 
see  there's  so  much  to  be  seen  to ;  a  crew  to  be  hunted 
up,  stores,  and  a  thousand  and  one  things  to  be  attended 
to,  that  all  take  time.  What's  more,  I  expect  she'll 
want  overhauling ;  she's  been  lying  out  there  these 
six  months  past,  just  going  to  rack  and  ruin." 

"  Then  when,  my  Jack,  may  we  sail  ?  " 

*  Perhaps  the  day  after  to-morrow — hardly  before." 

This  at  first  caused  her  to  look  disappointed,  for  she 
seemed  impatient  of  even  an  hour's  delay ;  but  she 
soon  regained  her  spirits,  and  we  set  off  back  to  the 
township  on  the  best  of  terms. 

Leaving  her  at  her  door,  I  passed  on  along  the  Sea- 
Front,  to  a  spot  where  I  knew  I  should  find  the  owner 
of  the  Mother  of  Pearl.  Just  as  I  expected,  he  was 
seated  on  a  bench,  sunning  himself  between  drinks ; 
and  as  it  was  about  time  to  hunt  up  another,  I  invited 
him  to  step  inside  the  shanty  and  lubricate  at  my 
expense.  This  he  willingly  consented  to  do  ;  and  when 
the  operation  had  been  safely  accomplished,  and  not  till 
then,  I  began  to  lead  up  to  the  subject  of  the  schooner. 

As  my  reputation  in  the  island  was  not  exactly  that 
of  a  monied  man,  he  was  thrown  completely  off  his 


174  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

guard,  and  forthwith  entered  upon  a  string  of  abuse 
regarding  the  unfortunate  vessel.  She  was  too  big  for 
diving  purposes ;  she  cost  twice  as  much  to  keep  up  aa 
he  could  afford ;  she  took  a  young  man-o'-war's  crew  to 
work  her ;  and  altogether  he  wished  he'd  never  set  eyes 
on  her.  I  waited  my  opportunity,  and  then  said — 

"  Don't  you  wish  you  could  sell  her  ? " 

"Sell  her!  You'd  just  better  believe  I  do!"  he 
replied  with  considerable  energy.  "I'm  dead  sick  of 
her, — there  never  was  a  rottener  bargain  going." 

He  looked  across  the  smooth  stretch  of  the  bay  to 
where  the  object  of  his  animadversions  lay  swinging  to 
the  tide.  Then  smothering  a  curse,  he  turned  to  me — 

"  Look  here,  Jack,"  he  said,  never  of  course  dreaming 
I  meant  serious  business,  "I'm  not  what  you'd  call  a 
big  bug  for  style ;  but  I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do.  I'll 
make  you  a  present  of  that  craft  for  two  fifty,  cash  on 
the  nail,  and  lose  a  hundred  pounds  by  it.  Now  then, 
there  you  are ;  I  couldn't  say  fairer  than  that  if  you 
was  my  missus's  first  husband's  uncle,  could  I  ? " 

He  had  made  me  the  offer  so  often  "just  for  style," 
that  such  a  thing  as  my  accepting  it  never  for  an 
instant  crossed  his  mind.  Therefore  when  I  said 
quietly — 

"  Make  it  two  hundred,  Jim,  and  I'm  your  man,  cash 
on  the  capstan  when  you  please,"  there  never  was  a 
man  more  overcome  with  astonishment. 

"  You  don't  mean  it,"  he  gasped ;  "  you  don't  mean  to 
go  and  say  you've  got  two  hundred  pounds,  Jack  ? " 

His  surprise  was  almost  pathetic. 


RAMSAY    BECOMES   A   SHIP-OWNER.  175 

*  I  do,"  I  answered,  smiling  at  his  earnestness ;  "  and 
what's  more,  remember  you've  offered  me  the  Mother  of 
Pearl  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  I  offer  two 
hundred,  cash,  if  she  suits  me,  and  we'll  go  off  and  look 
at  her  this  very  minute." 

Taking  him  by  the  arm,  I  led  the  way  to  the  beach, 
and  pushed  a  boat  into  the  water. 

"You  can  pull,"  I  said,  seating  myself  comfortably 
in  the  stern-sheets. 

"  Who  ?  Me  ?  Not  much,"  he  replied ;  "  there's  no 
beastly  pride  about  me.  Here  you,  Tommy,"  turning 
to  a  Solomon  boy  who  stood  watching  us,  "just  you 
jump  in  and  put  us  aboard  the  Mother  of  Pearl  yonder, 
and  I  won't  say  but  what  there  mayn't  be  a  plug  of 
tobacco  at  the  end  of  it" 

Five  minutes  later  we  were  aboard  the  schooner, 
and  I  was  closely  inspecting  her,  satisfying  myself  as 
to  her  good  and  bad  qualities.  When  I  had  made  up  my 
mind,  I  turned  to  look  for  the  owner.  He  was  in  the 
boat  alongside,  refreshing  himself  from  a  black  bottle  he 
had  brought  with  him.  As  we  pulled  ashore,  I  said — 

"  Well,  Jim,  is  it  to  be  business  ?" 

"  Two  fifty,  not  a  red  cent  under." 

a  All  right,"  I  answered  carelessly,  "  you're  the  best 
judge  of  that  She's  not  worth  two  hundred,  but  I'll 
give  you  that  cash,  otherwise  no  trade ! " 

He  hung  in  the  wind.  Two  hundred  pounds,  he 
reflected,  would  not  only  buy  the  new  boat  he  wanted, 
but  would  enable  him  to  extend  his  present  drinking 
bout  another  week.  An  inspiration  struck  him— 


176  IN   STiiAxVGE    COMPANY. 

"Two  hundred  cash,"  he  said,  "and  I  keep  the 
pumps  in  her." 

"There  I'll  meet  you,  though  it's  giving  you  the 
whole  business.  Is  it  a  bargain  ?  " 

"  My  Colonial ! "  he  replied,  and  the  next  moment  we 
stepped  ashore. 

"  Now,"  I  said,  "  you  just  toddle  away  and  fix  up  the 
papers.  I'll  be  along  with  the  money  before  you  can 
turn  round." 

With  that  we  separated,  he  returning  to  the  hotel 
where  we  had  met,  while  I  made  across  the  island  to 
the  Albino's  abode.  I  found  the  dwarf  at  the  wash-tub. 

"What  news?"  he  shouted,  as  soon  as  I  approached; 
"  have  you  talked  her  over  ?  But  there,  of  course  you 
have,  I  can  see  it  in  your  face!  Well,  what's  the 
result?" 

"That  I've  bought  the  schooner  Mother  of  Pearl  for 
two  hundred  pounds." 

He  eyed  me  suspiciously  for  a  second,  then  flicking 
his  fingers  to  clear  them  of  soap-suds,  led  the  way  into 
the  house.  Seating  himself  on  the  bed,  he  dried  his 
hands  and  spoke — 

"  Bought  the  Mother  of  Pearl,  have  you,  and  for  two 
hundred  pounds?  Very  good.  You'll  want  another 
hundred  to  see  you  on  your  way." 

Here  he  took  from  his  drawer  a  leather  bag  which 
he  tossed  towards  me. 

"  There  you  are,  you'll  find  it  correct,  I  think. 
Count  it" 

Doing  as   he   bade  me,  I  counted  the  sum  out  on 


RAMSAY   BECOMES    A    SHIP-OWNER.  177 

the  rickety  little  table;  three  hundred  sovereigns  in 
bright  gold  coin.  When  I  had  returned  them  to  their 
bag,  he  continued — 

"You  find  it  as  I  say?  Well,  so  much  for  that. 
Now,  listen  to  me ;  have  you  breathed  a  word  of  my 
existence  to  your  sweetheart  ?  Think  carefully  before 
you  speak,  for  I  shall  be  sure  to  find  out  if  you 
have." 

"  I  gave  you  my  word  I  would  not,"  I  replied,  "  and 
I  have  kept  it;  if  you  doubt  me,  take  your  money 
back." 

"No,  no,"  he  hastened  to  say;  "bless  you,  I  don't 
doubt  you,  not  a  bit  of  it ;  I  only  wanted  to  be  sure. 
Now  just  run  along  back  and  complete  your  bargain." 

Before  I  went,  I  endeavoured  to  thank  him  again  for 
his  generosity,  but  he  would  not  let  me.  One  thing 
was  certain;  the  more  I  thought  about  his  action  the 
further  I  was  from  understanding  it. 

Reaching  the  township  I  rejoined  Jameson,  and 
counted  out  to  him  the  price  of  the  schooner,  which 
he  repeatedly  informed  me  WHS  "dirt  cheap  at  the 
money."  Then  leaving  him  to  drink  himself  into 
delirium  tremens,  I  pushed  on  to  the  "  Orient,"  that  I 
might  inform  Juanita  of  my  success.  Her  enthusiasm 
was  contagious,  and  urged  on  by  it,  before  bed-time  I 
had  not  only  secured  my  crew,  but  had  arranged  my 
stores,  and  accepted  the  services  of  a  mate. 

Next  morning  I  crossed  the  island  to  bid  the  Albino 
farewell.  My  surprise  may  be  imagined  when  I  found 
him  gone.  Not  a  trace  of  hia  whereabouts  could  be 


178  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

discovered,  and,  considerably  exercised  in  my  mind 
regarding  him,  I  returned  to  make  my  final  prepara- 
tions. Shortly  after  midday  I  escorted  Juanita  (who  had 
said  farewell  to  the  "  Orient,"  amid  much  lamentation) 
aboard,  and  at  three  o'clock  the  Mother  of  Pearl  stood 
out  of  the  bay,  bound  on  the  most  curious  errand  she 
had  ever  weighed  anchor  to  accomplish.  Only  then 
did  I  learn  our  destination. 

Though  she  certainly  did  not  realize  all  the  good 
qualities  her  late  owner  had  (since  the  sale)  led  me  to 
suppose  she  possessed,  the  schooner  was  a  handy  enough 
craft,  and  likely  to  serve  the  purpose  for  which  we 
required  her,  every  bit  as  well  as  one  costing  ten 
thousand  pounds  could  have  done.  The  best  descrip- 
tion of  her  would  be  to  say  that  she  was  just  a  steady- 
going,  serviceable  old  tub ;  and  as  I  was  not  likely,  with 
Juanita  on  board,  to  be  in  too  much  of  a  hurry  to 
complete  the  voyage,  that  was  all  we  wanted. 

TLe  mate  proved  a  decent  sort  of  young  fellow.  The 
crew  were  Kanakas,  with  a  Chinaman  cook,  who  also 
officiated  as  steward. 

And  now  comes  a  portion  of  my  yarn  that  I  am 
tempted  to  dwell  upon.  How  can  I  describe  the 
beauties  of  that  summer  voyage  ?  How  resist  the 
temptation  it  offers  of  indulging  in  extravagant  waste 
of  language  ?  As  I  sit  here  recalling  it,  a  strange 
longing  rises  in  my  heart  that  will  not  be  suppressed ; 
a  longing  that  is  not  without  a  touch  of  sadness  and 
regret.  It  is  impossible,  I  have  to  tell  myself,  that  I 
can  expect  to  cross  an  old  trail  without  some  mixture 


RAMS  AT    BECOMES    A    SHIP-OWNER.  179 

of  pain.  Can  I,  in  this  fog-ridden  England,  hope  to 
be  allowed  to  stir  up  recollections  of  enchanting  islands 
lifting  their  green  heads  from  bright  blue  seas,  of 
umber  cliffs  peering  out  of  clustering  foliage,  of  azure 
skies,  and  trade  winds  redolent  of  sweet  perfumes,  and 
yet  expect  to  escape  scot  free  ? 

The  only  thing  regrettable  about  the  voyage  was  its 
brevity.  Is  it  therefore  to  be  wondered  at  that,  madly 
infatuated  as  I  was  with  the  woman  who  accompanied 
me,  I  viewed  the  prospect  of  calms  with  equanimity, 
and  was  loth  to  employ  any  exertions  that  would  help 
to  hurry  it  or  get  it  over  ? 

But  every  moment  was  bringing  us  nearer  our 
destination;  and  at  last,  one  sunset,  I  was  able  to  tell 
Juanita,  that  in  all  probability  another  twenty-four 
hours  would  find  us  abreast  of  the  island  which 
contained  her  husband's  grave. 

As  it  turned  out,  my  prophecy  proved  a  correct  one, 
for  towards  five  o'clock  on  the  following  afternoon,  the 
high  peaks  of  Vanua  Lava  appeared  above  the  horizon. 
By  tea-time  the  schooner  had  brought  the  island 
abeam,  and  before  darkness  fell  we  were  anchored  off 
a  thickly-wooded  promontory,  to  the  right  of  which 
Juanita  declared  her  former  lord  and  master  lay 
buried. 


CHAPTER  V. 

A    CURIOUS    QUEST. 

APART  from  the  fact  that  it  was  being  undertaken 
solely  for  the  purpose  of  digging  up  and  rifling 
a  dead  man's  body,  there  was  something  peculiarly  un- 
canny to  me  about  this  voyage  to  Vanua  Lava.  And 
the  more  I  allowed  my  mind  to  dwell  upon  it,  the  more 
convinced  I  became  that,  somehow  or  other,  what  we 
found  would  materially  affect  my  welfare.  It  may 
therefore  be  imagined  with  what  interest  I  gazed 
across  the  intervening  stretch  of  water  at  the  thickly, 
timbered  island,  now  disappearing  into  the  fast-falling 
shadows.  Juanita  was  wildly  excited,  and  would  have 
liked  nothing  better  than  to  have  gone  ashore  and 
commenced  operations  that  very  night.  Indeed,  I 
could  not  help  thinking  that  the  fortune  her  husband 
had  hidden  away  must  be  even  larger  than  she  had 
led  me  to  suppose,  if  I  might  estimate  its  size  by  her 
anxiety  to  obtain  possession  of  the  locket. 

As  soon  as  tea  was  over  we  returned  on  deck.  It 
was  a  glorious  night.  Overhead,  in  a  coal-black  sky, 
the  great  stars  hung  lustrous  and  wonderful  Below 


A   CURIOUS   QUEST.  181 

them  all  was  silence.  Not  a  sound  save  the  subdued 
voices  of  the  crew  forrard,  and  now  and  again  a  tiny 
wave,  stirred  by  some  gentle  zephyr,  breaking  against 
the  schooner's  side,  disturbed  the  stillness.  Then,  little 
by  little,  the  eastern  stars  began  to  lose  their  brilliance. 
The  sky  at  that  end  of  the  island  relinquished  some 
of  its  blackness,  and  presently,  with  a  majesty  un- 
translatable, the  great  moon  rose  into  the  heavens, 
casting  a  mellow  light  across  the  silent  deep,  and 
touching  with  silver  the  topmost  trees  ashore.  With 
her  coming  a  faint  breeze  stole  down  to  meet  us  and 
set  the  schooner  gently  rocking. 

When  we  had  paced  the  deck  together  for  a  while 
Juanita  drew  me  to  the  taffrail,  and  passing  her  ami 
through  mine  in  a  caressing  manner  peculiar  to 
herself,  fell  to  talking  in  a  strain  which  I  had  never 
discovered  in  her  before.  The  impression  her  con- 
versation forced  upon  me  was  that  she  was  trying  to 
excuse  herself  for  a  great  wrong  she  had  already  done 
or  was  about  to  do  me,  and  yet  nothing  in  her  actual 
speech  lent  any  reason  to  this  supposition. 

"  To-morrow/'  she  said,  half  to  herself,  "  will  decide  a 
great  deal  for  both  of  us." 

"  How  for  both  of  us,  Juanita  ?  "  I  asked.  "  If  you 
find  what  you  want  over  yonder  you'll  be  a  rich  lady, 
and  then  '  good-bye '  to  poor  Jack." 

She  started  as  if  frightened,  and  pressed  my  arm 
tighter. 

"You  have  been  so  good  to  me  that  I  don't  know 
what  to  say  to  you,"  she  continued,  disregarding  my 


182  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

last  speech.  "  Oh,  Jack !  if  we  could  only  be  ourselves, 
free  to  act  and  to  do  whatsoever  we  wished,  instead  oi 
being  driven  so  relentlessly  on  and  on  by  destiny,  how 
much  happier  we  should  be!  Do  you  believe  in 
fate?" 

"  I  believe  you  are  my  fate,"  I  replied,  pressing  her 
hand  with  all  the  ardour  of  a  lover,  "  and  what  better 
fate  could  I  ask?" 

"  Or  what  worse  ? "  she  said  sadly.  "  Jack,  my  poor 
Jack,  you  don't  know  how  you  will  hate  me  some 
day." 

"  Never,  Juanita,  and  that  I'll  swear  to." 

She  was  silent  for  a  minute  or  two.  When  she 
spoke  again  there  was  a  bitterness  in  her  voice  I  had 
never  heard  in  it  before. 

"  If  I  had  only  known  and  loved  you  sooner,"  she 
went  on,  "  I  might  have  been  a  better  woman.  But  I 
was  cursed  from  the  very  beginning;  cursed  with  a 
bad  mother,  cursed  with  a  bad  father,  cursed  with  a 
beauty  that  was  only  a  snare  for  sin ;  lured  to  my 
ruin  before  I  was  old  enough  to  understand,  driven  by 
poverty  and  despair  to  be  what  I  am — a  woman  at  war 
with  all  the  world.  Oh,  Jack,  may  the  Holy  Mother 
forbid  that  you  may  ever  know  what  my  life  has  been  I 
But  there,  why  should  I  tell  you  all  this  ?  let  us  be 
happy  and  believe  in  each  other  to-night,  if  only  for 
to-night." 

"  My  darling,"  I  cried  with  real  alarm,  noticing  that 
big  tears  were  rolling  down  her  cheeks,  "  what  is  the 
matter?  Tell  me,  and  let  me  comfort  you.  This 


A   CURIOUS   QUEST.  183 

monotonous  voyage  has  tired  you,  to-morrow  you  will 
be  better.  Don't  give  way  just  at  the  time  when  you 
want  all  your  nerve." 

But  my  advice  came  too  late ;  she  threw  herself  into 
my  arms  and  wept  as  if  her  heart  would  break.  I 
could  see  that  she  was  thoroughly  upset,  but  what  had 
occasioned  it  I  could  not  of  course  understand.  Since 
then,  however,  I  have  become  wiser,  and  whenever  I 
think  of  that  night  on  the  schooner's  deck,  under  the 
shadow  of  the  island,  I  say  to  myself,  "  Well,  however 
she  may  have  acted  towards  me  afterwards,  at  least 
Juanita  loved  me  then." 

When  she  grew  calmer  she  began  again,  this  time 
witli  a  sort  of  malignant  fierceness  that  was  equally 
inexplicable. 

"My  Jack,  if  I  told  you  that  I  was  a  despicable 
coward  and  asked  you  to  weigh  anchor  to-night  and  to 
leave  the  island  without  as  much  as  going  ashore, 
would  you  do  it?  Think  before  you  answer,  for 
heaven  and  hell  depend  upon  it." 

I  suppose  at  some  period  of  his  life  every  man  has 
his  fate  in  his  hand  to  do  as  he  likes  with.  I  had 
mine  then,  and,  as  will  be  seen,  I  threw  it  from  me. 
Oh,  if  I  had  only  taken  the  opportunity  she  offered 
and  set  sail  without  rifling  that  grave,  what  awful 
misery  for  both  of  us  I  should  have  averted !  But, 
blind  bat  that  I  was,  it  was  ordained  that  I  should  see 
everything  in  a  wrong  light,  and  so  I  began  im- 
mediately to  reproach  her  for  her  weakness,  telling  her 
that  since  she  had  come  so  far  to  do  it,  it  would  be 


184  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

worse  than  cowardice  to  return  without  carrying  out 
her  work. 

"  But,  Jack,"  she  said,  "  if  you  only  knew,  if  you  only 
knew?" 

"If  I  knew  what?"  I  asked.  "Come,  come, 
Juanita,  what  does  all  this  mystery  mean  ?  What 
are  you  hinting  at?  You're  in  a  veiy  extraordinary 
mood  to-night."  I  was  beginning  to  grow  impatient 
with  her. 

"Don't,"  she  cried,  preparing  to  burst  into  tears 
again,  "  don't  scold  me.  If  you  could  only  know  how 
we  shall  both  look  back  on  this  night  some  day,  and 
how  it  will  comfort  me  to  remember  that  at  least  you 
were  not  angry  then  ! " 

When  she  went  below  I  lit  my  pipe  and  fell  to  work 
upon  my  own  thoughts.  I  tried  to  recall  her  con- 
versation and  to  find  a  reason  for  her  extraordinary 
behaviour,  but  it  was  impossible.  In  vain  also  I  en- 
deavoured to  rid  myself  of  the  feeling  of  approaching 
danger  which  possessed  me.  At  last,  unable  to  make 
head  or  tail  of  it,  and  thoroughly  wretched,  I  sought 
my  bunk  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  a  little  rest  against 
the  labours  of  the  morrow. 

My  dreams  were  not  pleasant  ones.  Juanita  seemed 
to  stand  before  me  continually,  gazing  at  me  as  she 
had  done  on  deck,  with  tear-sti  earning  face,  imploring 
me  to  forgive  her,  always  to  forgive  her.  I  don't 
remember  ever  to  have  spent  a  more  miserable  night. 
But  it  was  only  a  foretaste  of  what  was  to  come. 

Shortly  after  daylight  I  awoke  to  hear  the  hands 


A  CURIOUS   QUEST.  185 

"  washing  down."  I  went  on  deck  and  had  a  bath  ;  the 
clear  green  water  braced  me  like  a  tonic.  A  more 
perfect  morning  could  not  be  imagined.  The  sea  lay 
around  us,  in  colour  a  pale  grey,  and  smooth  as  the 
inside  of  an  oyster-shell.  Ashore  the  rugged  mountain 
peaks  were  enveloped  in  vast  masses  of  white  cloud, 
while  on  the  lower  lands  every  shrub  and  tree  was 
gemmed  with  dew.  A  few  sea-birds  hovered  round 
the  schooner,  and  from  far  down  the  northern  beach  a 
spiral  column  of  palest  blue  smoke  ascended  into  the 
still  morning  air. 

About  half-an-hour  before  breakfast-tirne,  Juaiiita 
came  on  deck,  looking  radiant;  all  signs  of  her  last 
night's  trouble  had  completely  disappeared.  Stepping 
out  of  the  companion,  she  swept  the  sea  with  a  proud, 
defiant  glance,  as  though  she  had  at  length  achieved 
something  which  other  people  had  deemed  impossible. 
Then  her  eyes  fell  on  me,  and  she  came  across  to  where 
I  stood,  wishing  me  "good-morning"  with  a  bright 
smile.  I  felt  inclined  to  ask  myself  if  this  could  be  the 
same  woman  who  had  wept  upon  my  shoulder  the  night 
before,  and  begged  me  in  heart-broken  accents  to  for- 
give her  some  imaginary  transgression.  After  a  few 
moments  her  glance  wandered  from  the  schooner  and 
the  open  sea  to  the  island,  and  then  the  expression 
upon  her  face  (for  I  watched  it  continually)  changed. 
When  she  came  on  deck,  it  was  that  of  a  woman  who 
through  much  suffering  had  conquered ;  but  when  she 
looked  towards  the  spot  where  the  man  she  had  once 
loved  lay  buried,  it  was  the  face  of  one  who  had  still  to 


186  IN    STEANGE   COMPANY. 

prove  that  the  struggle  was  not  going  against  hei 
Just  at  that  moment  the  bell  sounded  for  breakfast, 
and  leaving  the  deck  to  the  mate,  I  escorted  her  below. 

As  soon  as  we  had  finished  our  meal,  I  gave  orders 
for  the  long-boat  to  be  swung  out,  and  a  crowbar  and  a 
couple  of  shovels  put  into  her.  I  had  already  chosen 
the  hands  who  should  accompany  us,  so  nothing  re- 
mained but  to  assist  my  sweetheart  down  the  gangway, 
take  our  places  in  the  boat,  and  set  out  for  the  shore. 
It  was  no  use  trying  to  persuade  Juanita  to  remain  on 
board,  and  let  me  do  the  work.  She  would  not  hear  of 
it.  On  the  way  I  could  not  help  noticing  the  appear- 
ance of  her  face ;  it  had  become  deadly  white  and 
haggard,  a  circumstance  which  I  could  only  attribute  to 
the  ghastly  nature  of  our  errand. 

Owing  to  the  fact  of  there  being  no  reef  on  this  side 
of  the  island,  we  were  able  to  bring  the  boat  flush  up  to 
the  shore,  and  to  secure  her  by  a  long  painter  to  a  tree. 

As  I  helped  Juanita  out,  I  asked  her  in  which  direc- 
tion she  supposed  the  grave  to  lie,  and  without  any 
hesitation  she  pointed  to  a  little  wooded  knoll,  about  a 
hundred  yards  to  our  left.  Off  we  set  towards  it. 

By  this  time  the  pallor  of  her  face  was  such  as  to 
quite  frighten  me.  I  asked  her  if  she  did  not  think 
she'd  better  sit  down  and  rest  a  while.  Her  answer,  if 
not  assuring,  was  emphatic. 

"  Rest !  What  rest  can  I  have  ?  No,  no,  no ;  on, 
on !  I  can't  rest ;  I  can't  think  till  we've  done  the  work. 
Oh,  be  quick  !  be  quick  ! " 

Beaching  the  spot  she  had   pointed   out,  we   com- 


A   CURIOUS    QUEST.  187 

menced  our  search  for  the  grave.  Though  she  declared 
her  husband  had  only  been  buried  a  few  months,  no 
sign  of  his  resting-place  was  to  be  seen.  This  I  ac- 
counted for  by  the  fact  that  it  was  situated  on  a  slope, 
and  the  wash  of  the  water  (for  the  rains  had  occurred 
since  the  burial  took  place)  had  smoothed  the  earth  all 
along  the  hill-side,  levelling  and  obliterating  all  traces 
of  the  mou*nd.  However,  after  much  diligent  search,  I 
found  amid  some  rank  grass  a  spot  which  seemed  to 
bear  some  resemblance  to  what  we  sought,  and  here  I 
decided  to  dig. 

The  ground  was  by  no  means  hard,  and  as  the  two 
men  I  had  brought  ashore  were  muscular  fellows,  it  was 
not  long  before  we  had  a  good  hole  to  show  for  our 
work.  Suddenly  the  shovel  struck  something  with  a 
hollow  sound,  bringing  my  heart  into  my  mouth  with  a 
jump.  Next  moment  a  comer  of  a  roughly-made 
coffin  came  into  view.  And  as  it  did  so,  Juanita  gave 
a  little  cry,  while  I  felt  large  clammy  beads  of  sweat 
ooze  out  and  down  my  own  forehead. 

Bidding  the  two  men  exert  all  their  strength,  I 
worked  the  crowbar  underneath  the  coffin,  and  leant 
my  weight  upon  it.  Inch  by  inch  it  uncovered  itself, 
and  at  last  we  were  able,  by  getting  our  hands  under  it, 
to  lift  it  out  on  to  the  level  ground.  As  we  laid  it 
down,  I  heard  Juanita  gasp  for  breath.  And  when  I 
told  her  we  were  going  to  prize  the  lid  off,  she  could 
bear  it  no  longer,  but  turned  her  back,  and  burying  her 
face  in  her  hands,  bade  me  search  round  the  dead  man's 
neck  for  the  locket  She  could  not  do  it  herself. 


188  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

Inserting  a  corner  of  the  shovel  between  the  lid  and 
the  side,  I  tried  to  force  it  open,  but  it  was  securely 
fastened,  and  defied  ine.  There  was  nothing  for  it  but 
to  send  off  to  the  schooner  for  a  screwdriver.  How 
bitterly  I  reproached  myself  for  not  having  brought  one 
with  me  I 

The  waiting  was  intolerable.  Though  it  was  in 
reality  not  ten  minutes,  it  seemed  an  hour  before  the 
man  returned  with  the  tool.  Then,  one  by  one,  my 
hands  shaking  with  nervousness,  I  withdrew  the  screws. 
That  work  accomplished,  I  ordered  one  of  the  Kanakas 
to  lift  off  the  lid.  As  he  prepared  to  do  so,  I  could  not 
repress  a  feeling  of  wonderment  as  to  what  this  former 
lover  of  Juanita's  would  be  like ;  at  the  same  time,  I 
braced  my  nerves  for  what  we  should  see. 

The  lid  was  off.  I  looked ;  I  rubbed  my  eyes  and 
looked  again — could  I  be  dreaming  ? 

Save  for  a  large  roll  of  sheet-lead,  the  coffin  was  empty 
No  man  had  ever  been  luried  in  it  I 

The  whole  funeral  must  have  been  a  farce,  intended 
to  deceive  some  one.  Could  that  some  one.  I  asked 
myself,  have  been  Juanita  ? 

My  exclamations  must  have  puzzled  her,  for  she 
cried  out — 

"  Oh,  what  have  you  found  ?  " 

I  was  so  overcome  with  surprise  that  I  had  some 
difficulty  in  finding  voice  enough  to  reply  to  her.  Then 
I  said — 

"  Juanita,  you've  been  hoaxed  I  No  man  was  ever 
buried  here.  There's  only  a  sheet  of  lead  in  the  coffin ! " 


A   CURIOUS    QUEST,  189 

With  that  she  faced  round  on  me,  and  never,  before 
or  since,  have  I  seen  such  an  expression  of  fear  in  the 
human  face.  She  stood  there,  wildly  staring,  first  at 
the  open  coffin,  then  at  the  grave,  unable  to  speak. 
Her  face  seemed  to  grow  every  moment  paler.  Then, 
turning  to  me,  she  said  very  softly,  so  softly  that  I 
asked  myself  whether  the  shock  could  have  been  too 
much  for  her  brain — 

"  I  have  been  the  victim  of  a  conspiracy ;  take  me 
back  to  the  schooner." 

I  signed  to  the  men  to  collect  the  tools,  and  we  were 
in  the  act  of  starting  on  our  return  to  the  beach,  when 
I  heard  unmistakable  sounds  of  some  one  moving 
through  the  undergrowth  on  the  bank  above  us. 
Juanita  heard  them  too,  and  by  some  means,  for  which 
I  cannot  account,  must  have  divined  their  cause,  for 
she  faced  round  like  a  tigress  at  bay.  Then  the  bushes 
parted,  and  the  Allino  stood  before  us  ! 

Anything  so  uncanny  as  his  appearance  at  that 
moment  cannot  be  imagined.  He  gazed  at  us,  his 
fingers  cracking,  his  little  pink  eyes  gleaming  maliciously, 
and  his  long  white  hair  floating  in  the  breeze.  As  I 
looked,  I  felt  Juanita  fall  heavily  on  my  arm.  She  had 
fainted. 


CHAPTER   VL 

AJI    UNEXPECTED 


I~N  a  second  the  little  man  had  taken  everything  ins 
-*-  He  glanced  at  Juanita,  lying  unconscious  in  my 
arms,  at  the  open  grave,  and  last  at  the  untenanted 
coffin.  This  latter  seemed  to  occasion  him  some  amaze- 
ment, but  only  for  an  instant  Then,  turning  to  me, 
he  said  with  authority  — 

"  Carry  her  down  to  the  boat,  and  get  her  aboard  the 
schooner.  Can't  you  see  there's  not  a  moment  to  be 
lost,  man  ?  " 

My  astonishment  at  his  appearance  had  made  me 
almost  forget  the  woman  in  my  embrace,  but  before 
the  words  were  well  out  of  his  mouth,  I  had  picked  her 
up,  and  was  carrying  her  towards  the  beach. 

When  we  had  pushed  off,  and  were  pulling  towards 
the  schooner,  I  was  surprised  to  see  the  Albino  seated 
in  the  bows  of  the  boat.  He  ventured  no  remark  to 
justify  his  presence  until  after  we  were  aboard,  and  he 
had  helped  me  to  carry  my  burden  to  her  bunk.  Then 
he  said  — 

"  Remember  my  medical  knowledge.  I'm  going  to 
help  you  with  her.  Get  some  brandy." 


AN    UNEXPECTED    VISITOR.  191 

Hastening  to  my  own  berth,  I  rummaged  among  the 
things  in  my  locker,  found  what  I  wanted,  and  returned 
with  all  possible  speed  to  the  cabin. 

As  I  approached  it,  I  could  have  sworn  that  I  heard 
the  dwarf  say,  "  Remember,  whatever  happens,  you've 
never  set  eyes  on  me  before  I "  But  I  must  have  been 
mistaken,  for  though  I  found  him  bathing  her  forehead, 
she  appeared  to  be  still  unconscious.  As  soon  as  she 
revived,  we  left  her,  and  returned  to  the  deck. 

"  What's  the  meaning  of  this  mysterious  business  ?  " 
I  asked  my  companion  when  we  reached  it.  "  How  on 
earth  did  you  get  here,  and  what  are  you  going  to  do 
now  ? " 

"  Fair  and  softly,  my  dear  fellow,"  he  said  quietly,  a 
curious  smile  playing  round  his  lips,  "  all  in  good  time. 
If  you  want  to  know,  I  was  called  down  here  on  most 
important  business.  It's  lucky  I  saw  your  schooner, 
otherwise  I  should  have  had  to  wait  a  month  for  a 
chance  of  getting  back  to  civilization." 

"  And  how  are  you  going  to  get  back  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Why,  on  board  this  boat,"  he  answered.  "  Surely 
you  won't  be  ungrateful  enough  to  refuse  me  a  passage 
after  all  I've  done  for  you  ? " 

Not  being  in  a  position  to  gainsay  the  justice  of  his 
argument,  I  held  my  tongue.  My  situation  was  a  very 
delicate  one.  I  had  possession  of  the  boat,  it  was  true ; 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  only  given  to  me  for  a 
certain  purpose.  That  purpose  having  failed,  what 
was  my  position  ?  Could  I  make  over  the  schooner 
to  the  Albino  for  my  debt?  And  if  I  continued  to 


192  IN    8TRANOK    COMPANY. 

keep  her,  was  I  free  to  act  as  1  pleased  with  regard  te 
Juanita  ? 

I  have  said  nothing  so  far  about  my  own  disappoint- 
ment. Nevertheless  I  had  devoted  a  considerable 
amount  of  anxious  thought  to  it.  If  the  funeral  of 
Juanita's  husband  had  been  a  hoax,  his  death  must 
have  been  one  too.  Then,  for  all  we  knew  to  the 
contrary,  he  was  still  living!  And  in  that  case  my 
marriage  with  her  was  impossible.  I  was  as  hopelessly 
cut  off  fro  in  her  as  if  we  had  never  met. 

When  I  judged  she  would  be  able  to  see  me,  I  went 
down  and  knocked  at  her  cabin-door.  She  came  out 
immediately  and  seated  herself  at  the  table. 

"  Juanita,"  I  began,  taking  my  place  beside  her,  and 
holding  her  hand,  "  what  can  I  say  to  comfort  you  after 
your  disappointment  ?  " 

"  Why  do  you  speak  of  it — why  do  you  say  any  more 
about  it  ?  "  she  cried  fretfully.  "  My  worst  anticipations 
have  been  realized — that's  all !  I  might  have  known 
he  would  have  fooled  me.  Yes,  I  repeat  it,  fooled  me." 

"  But  you  were  so  certain  he  was  dead  1 " 

"  I  was  certain  I  saw  him  lying  dead  in  his  bunk,  if 
that's  what  you  mean/1  Then  with  a  sudden  outburst 
of  fury,  "  Marcos  Veneda,  as  God  is  above  me,  if  I  can 
find  you,  I'll  punish  you  for  this ! " 

"  Marcos  Veneda  1  I  thought  you  said  he  was  an 
Englishman  ?  " 

"  So  he  was.     Veneda  was  only  an  assumed  name." 

Seeing  her  state,  I  decided  not  to  say  anything  about 
•ur  position  towards  each  other  until  she  was  calmer. 


AN    ONEXl'KCTED    VISITOR.  193 

"And  what  do  you  wish  me  to  do  now  ?w  I  asked,  to 
turn  the  conversation  into  another  channel  tt  Shall  I 
make  a  course  back  to  Thursday  Island  ?  n 

"  No,  no,  anywhere  but  there." 

"  Then  where  would  you  like  to  go  ?  Say  the  word, 
and  I  swear  I'll  do  my  best  to  oblige  you." 

"  Oh,  anywhere,  anywhere.  Why  do  you  bother  me 
with  your  stupid  questions  ? — what  does  it  matter  now 
where  I  go  ?  " 

"  Very  well,"  I  said,  considerably  piqued  by  her 
behaviour,  though  I  tried  hard  not  to  ;-how  it;  "I'll 
leave  you  alone  for  a  bit,  you  may  possibly  think  of 
some  place  before  nightfall.  In  the  meantime  we'll 
make  a  course  for  Cape  York." 

When  I  reached  the  deck  to  give  orders  for  getting 
under  way,  I  found  the  Albino  pacing  up  and  down, 
his  long  arms  behind  his  back,  and  his  little  pink 
face  puckered  into  a  hundred  wrinkles  with  thought. 
He  came  across  and  led  me  out  of  hearing  of  the 
mate. 

"  What's  your  course  going  to  be  ?  " 

"  That's  just  what  I'm  waiting  to  know,"  I  answered. 
"  Juanita  can't  make  up  her  mind." 

"Damn  Juanita!"  he  jerked  out  "Why  do  you 
want  to  be  always  considering  her  ?  Let  me  advise  you. 
Batavia,  Java — that's  the  place ;  and  when  we  get  there, 
I've  a  little  treat  in  store  for  you  that'll  pay  you  better 
than  all  this  shilly-shallying  here." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ? "  I  asked,  naturattv  a  little 
astonished  at  his  remark. 


194  Ef   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"Just  this,"  he  replied.  "One  place  is  as  good  as 
another  to  you,  isn't  it  ?  Then,  I  say,  don't  ask  any 
questions ;  steer  for  Batavia.  You've  trusted  me  before, 
trust  me  again.  Leave  Juanita  to  me.  Womanlike, 
she  doesn't  know  her  own  mind,  and  wants  somebody 
to  help  her  make  it  up." 

Bidding  the  mate  go  forrard  and  superintend  the 
raising  of  the  anchor,  I  gave  the  necessary  orders  for 
getting  sail  on  her.  Just  at  eight  bells  his  cry  of  "  All 
clear,  sir,"  sounded,  and  the  Mother  of  Pearl  resumed 
her  journey. 

It  was  either  a  case  of  sulkiness,  or  she  felt  too  over- 
come by  her  disappointment  to  mix  with  us,  but  Juanita 
did  not  show  her  face  again  that  day,  and  it  was  not 
until  nearly  sun-time  on  the  following  morning  that 
we  caught  a  glimpse  of  her.  She  came  on  deck  during 
my  watch.  The  Albino  was  standing  beside  me.  She 
looked  ill  and  haggard,  and  as  the  schooner  was  pitching 
unpleasantly,  I  hastened  to  offer  her  my  arm.  She 
took  it  with  a  kind  of  shrinking,  at  the  same  time 
glancing  timidly  at  my  companion.  He  held  his  hat 
in  his  hand,  and  was  looking  at  her  with  what  I 
thought  a  nervous  expression  on  his  face. 

As  they  did  not  know  one  another,  nothing  remained 
for  me  but  to  introduce  them.  Then,  and  for  the  first 
time,  a  strange  circumstance  struck  me.  I  did  not 
know  the  Albino's  name.  Somehow  I  had  never  had 
occasion  to  speak  of  him  to  any  one,  nor  had  I  ever 
heard  him  mentioned.  I  looked  at  her  and  said 
feebly— 


A.N     CNKXPfcCTEI)    VISITOR.  195 

*  Juanita,  let  me  introduce  iny  friend,  Mr. "  (here 

I  turned  towards  him  a  look  of  appeal). 

"  Macklin,"  he  said. 

"  My  friend,  Mr.  Macklin." 

She  bowed  gravely;  he  followed  suit  like  a  court 
chamberlain.  Then  they  began  to  pace  the  deck 
together,  while  I  returned  to  the  duties  of  my  watch. 

Being  anxious  to  reach  Batavia  as  soon  as  possible, 
I  cracked  on  everything  the  schooner  could  carry,  and 
before  many  days  were  over  we  had  passed  and  left 
Thursday  Island  behind  us,  and  were  entering  the 
Arafura  Sea.  Fair  weather  accompanied  us  all  the  way, 
and  I  found  the  schooner's  sailing  capabilities  improve 
as  I  became  better  acquainted  with  her. 

One  thing  was  plainly  evident.  Since  the  arrival  of 
the  Albino  on  board  I  \vas  thrown  quite  into  the  shade. 
Juanita  seemed  to  prefer  his  company  to  that  of  any 
one  else.  He  was  never  absent  from  her  side ;  they  sat 
together  at  meals,  paraded  the  deck  together,  and  in 
fact  were  inseparable  companions.  So  conspicuous  did 
her  partiality  at  length  become,  that  I  felt  compelled 
to  remonstrate  with  her  about  it.  Her  look  of  pained 
jurprise  went  to  my  heart. 

"  Jack,  how  can  you  be  so  unkind  to  me  ?  "  she  said, 
with  tears  in  her  eyes.  "  Though  it  is  all  over  between 
us,  you  know,  or  yc  u  ought  to  know,  how  much  I  love 
you.  Do  you  think  that  poor  little  creature  could  make 
me  forget  you  ?  I  am  sorry  for  him — very  sorry — that 
i*  all" 

Of  course  I  forgave  her  immediately,  and  equally  of 


196  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

course  she  promised  amendment  in  the  future.  But 
though  her  liking  for  his  company  was  not  so  openly 
shown  as  before,  I  could  not  see  that  it  had  undergone 
any  radical  change. 

But  I  had  other  and  more  important  things  than 
Juanita's  behaviour  towards  myself  to  think  about.  I 
discovered  that  trouble  had  cropped  up  amongst  the 
crew  forward,  and  that  on  two  occasions  knives  had  been 
drawn.  What  it  had  originated  in  I  could  not  find  out, 
but  that  a  big  Kanaka  boy,  called  Rhotoma  Jimmy,  was 
at  the  bottom  of  it  all  I  had  good  reason  to  be  certain. 
He  had  come  aboard  in  Thursday  as  a  stowaway,  and 
was,  I  found  out,  a  vindictive,  ill-tempered  fellow,  who 
never  lost  a  chance  of  making  himself  objectionable. 
When  I  saw  that  my  rowings  proved  useless,  I  ironed 
him  for  a  couple  of  days.  This  seemed  to  sober  him ; 
he  became  deeply  penitent,  and  thinking  I  had  punished 
him  enough,  I  let  him  go  back  to  his  duties. 

The  night  following  his  release,  he  was  at  the  wheel 
during  my  watch.  I  was  not  satisfied  with  his  steering, 
and  had  occasion  to  reprimand  him  twice.  A  short 
while  afterwards  I  noticed  the  same  irregularity,  and 
went  over  to  the  binnacle,  determining  this  time  to 
give  him  a  good  rating.  As  soon  as  he  saw  me  coming, 
he  left  the  wheel,  and  made  for  the  belaying-pins. 
Seizing  one  he  rushed  at  me,  and  endeavoured  to  hit 
me  over  the  head  with  it  But  before  he  could  effect 
his  purpose,  I  had  closed  with  him,  and  wrenched  it 
from  his  grasp,  striking  him  as  I  did  so  a  blow  upon 
the  head.  He  fell  like  a  log,  and  as  he  struck  the  deck 


AN   UNEXPECTED    VISITOR.  19? 

I  heard  footsteps  on  the  ladder,  and  the  Albino  stood 
beside  me. 

Calling  another  man  aft  to  the  wheel,  I  took  the 
binnacle-lamp  and  knelt  beside  the  prostrate  man. 
To  my  dismay  I  found  1  had  bit  him  hardei  than  1 
intended.  H*  wa*  dead) 


CHAPTER  VH. 

BATAVIA — A   STRANGE  MEETING. 

YT^HEN  I  realized  that  the  Kanaka  boy,  Rhotoma 
Jimmy,  was  really  dead,  the  shock  the  discovery 
gave  me  may  be  better  imagined  than  described.  I  was 
the  last  person,  I  told  myself,  to  take  a  fellow-creature's 
life  without  adequate  reason,  and  if  it  came  to  that,  I 
had  only  struck  the  man  in  purest  self-defence.  Indeed, 
had  I  not  closed  with  him,  he  would  undoubtedly  have 
murdered  me.  It  was  fortunate,  I  thought,  that  the 
Albino  had  come  on  deck  in  time  to  witness  the  con- 
clusion of  the  affair. 

Ordering  the  body  to  be  taken  forrard,  I  stumped  the 
deck  for  nearly  an  hour,  endeavouring  to  make  the 
Albino  see  how  it  had  happened.  His  manner  struck 
me  as  odd ;  but  I  was  too  agitated  to  attach  much  im- 
portance to  that.  Among  other  things,  also,  I  ques- 
tioned him  about  the  future ;  I  told  him  that  I  did  not 
like  being  so  much  in  his  debt,  and  finally  asked  him 
to  take  the  schooner  in  lieu  of  payment.  He  hesitated 
for  a  while,  and  then  requested  a  day  or  two  to  think  it 
over.  But  during  the  evening  he  returned  to  the  sub- 


BATAVIA — A    STRANGE    MEETING.  199 

ject,  and  stated  that  he  had  decided  to  do  what  I  asked. 
Thereupon  we  drew  up  the  necessary  documents,  and 
when  I  had  signed  them  the  Mother  of  Pearl  was  no 
longer  my  property.  Little  did  I  see  how  artfully  my 
ruin  had  been  contrived. 

Next  morning  we  were  abreast  the  Java  coast; 
Madura  on  our  starboard  bow,  Sourabaya  away  to  port. 
From  the  latter  place  to  Tanjong  Priok,  as  the  seaport 
of  Batavia  is  called,  is  but  a  short  run,  and  the  Mother 
of  Pearlt  with  everything  in  her  favour,  was  not  long  in 
accomplishing  it. 

As  if  an  omen  of  the  disastrous  events  which  were 
to  befall  me  during  my  stay  in  Java,  we  sighted  the 
breakwater  on  a  wet,  miserable,  depressing  afternoon. 
Our  moorings  were  on  the  left  hand  of  the  harbour, 
just  abaft  a  Dutch  man-o'-war,  and  almost  opposite  the 
Custom  House.  The  view  was  about  as  cheerless  as 
the  day ;  the  soup-coloured  sea,  slimy  wharves,  gaunt, 
wind -tossed  trees,  made  up  a  picture  that  was  suggestive 
of  cholera,  Yellow  Jack,  and  a  multiplicity  of  unknown 
horrors.  There  was  nothing  to  detain  us  on  board,  so 
as  soon  as  the  necessary  formalities  had  been  complied 
with,  Juanita,  the  Albino,  and  I  went  a>hoie,  intent 
upon  visiting  the  city  before  w«  settled  our  plans  for 
the  future. 

From  the  railway-station  we  drove  to  the  Ho'tel  des 
ludes.  It  was  the  first  time  I  had  been  in  Java,  but 
the  Albino  seemed  to  be  familiar  with  every  part  of  it. 
It  was  in  keeping  with  his  strange  character  that  he 
ihould  be  thorough  y  at  home  in  all  the  out-of-the-way 


200  IN   8TRANGB   COMPANY. 

places  of  the  world.  When  I  said  as  much  to  him,  he 
laughed,  and  gave  utterance  to  one  of  his  odd  remarks, 
to  the  effect  that  "  Strange  dogs  must  know  strange 
kennels." 

In  the  evening,  as  soon  as  dinner  was  over,  Juanita 
and  I  passed  from  the  hotel  gardens  into  the  broad 
street  which  runs  alongside  the  canal.  Though  the 
rain  had  ceased,  and  it  was  a  perfect  night,  hardly  a 
soul  was  abroad.  At  intervals  mysterious  watchmen 
emerged  from  their  shelters  to  look  at  us,  but  finding 
nothing  suspicious  in  our  behaviour,  retired  into  them 
again.  With  these  few  exceptions  we  had  the  streets 
to  ourselves.  The  great  round  moon,  sailing  serenely 
overhead  through  a  cloudless  sky,  the  tropic  foliage, 
lights  flashing  amid  the  trees,  all  combined  to  pro- 
duce a  scene  that  was  almost  fairy-like  in  its  exquisite 
loveliness.  And  after  the  cooping  up  of  shipboard  we 
were  both  in  the  mood  to  appreciate  its  beauty.  Up 
one  road  and  down  another  we  passed,  conversing 
quietly,  until  at  length  we  found  ourselves  upon  the 
King's  Plain. 

Here  I  prepared  myself  to  broach  the  subject  of  our 
future.  To  my  surprise,  Juanita  received  my  ideas 
with  a  peculiar  air  of  fretfulness  that  on  looking  back 
upon  now  I  can  easily  account  for.  At  the  time,  how- 
ever, I  remember  it  caused  me  a  considerable  amount 
of  pain. 

Under  a  small  tope  of  trees  she  stopped,  and  placing 
her  hand  on  my  arm,  said  in  answer  to  a  speech  of 
mine— 


HA  I  A  VI A  —  A    8TKA.NGK    MEETING.  201 

"  Yon  are  finite  right  I  fear  this  is  the  end  of 
everything-  for  us.  When  we  leave  Batavia  our  ways 
must  lie  in  different  directions." 

"  You  mean,"  I  continued,  "  because  you  believe  your 
husband  to  be  still  alive  ?  " 

She  hesitated  before  replying. 

"Yes,"  she  finally  answered.  But  there  was  some- 
thing in  her  voice  that  made  me  believe  that  though 
she  gave  it  that  reason,  it  was  not  exactly  what  was  in 
her  mind. 

"  And  what  will  you  do  now,  Juanita  ?  * 

"  Endeavour  to  find  that  man,  and  repay  him  for  his 
treachery.  That's  what  I  shall  do." 

Simple  as  were  her  words,  I  cannot  express  on  paper 
anything  like  the  ferocity  of  the  tone  in  which  they 
were  uttered.  But  this  mood  only  lasted  a  few  seconds. 
Then  came  the  old  waiL 

"  Oh,  Jack,  Jack  !  if  you  only  knew ;  if  we  could 
but  be  our  true  selves  for  one  little  moment !  * 

u  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Never  mind,  you  will  know  soon  enough,  and,  oh, 
how  you  will  hate  me  for  it !  But  now,— oh,  1  cannot, 
Jack, — 1  cannot  I H 

Here  she  fell  to  crying,  just  as  she  had  done  on  the 
schooner.  It  was  an  exact  repetition  of  her  strange 
behaviour  on  that  eventful  night  1  did  my  best  to 
comfort  her,  and  after  a  long  while  succeeded.  She 
dried  her  tears,  and  we  set  off  upon  our  homeward  walk. 
Not  satisfied  with  what  she  had  told  me,  I  determined 
to  renew  the  subject  on  the  morrow. 


202  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

But  the  morrow  had  something  of  its  own  in  store 
for  me,  of  which  I  could  not  have  evea  the  vaguest 
idea. 

When  we  returned  to  the  hotel,  the  Albino  was 
smoking  in  the  verandah.  After  a  few  commonplaces 
about  the  beauty  of  the  night,  1  went  into  my  room 
to  procure  a  cigar,  leaving  Juanita  alone  with  him.  As 
soon  as  I  had  obtained  a  weed  and  lit  it  I  rejoined 
them.  Through  no  fault  of  mine  they  did  not  perceive 
me  until  I  was  close  upon  them.  Macklin  held  a  paper 
in  his  hand,  from  which  I  presumed  he  had  just  been 
reading.  Juanita  was  evidently  much  put  out  about 
something. 

"  No,  no,  it's  too  cruel,"  she  said,  "  I  cannot  do 
it." 

To  which  he  replied — 

"  I  tell  you,  you  must.  It's  all  arranged,  so  don't  let 
me  hear  any  more  nonsense  about  it." 

When  I  coughed  to  warn  them  of  my  presence,  both 
seemed  considerably  disturbed,  though  the  Albino  passed 
it  off  with  his  customary  ease. 

After  they  retired  to  their  rooms,  I  remained  in  the 
verandah  smoking.  Suddenly  my  eye  caught  sight  of 
something  white  upon  the  ground.  Picking  it  up,  I 
discovered  it  to  be  a  cablegram  from  London.  It  was 
addressed  to  Macklin,  and  ran  as  follows : — 

"  Still  unclaimed.     Come  at  once.     Don't  delay." 

The  signature  was  a  name  I  had  never  heard 
before. 

On  my  way  to  my  room  I  called  in  upon  him  to  restore 


BATAVIA — A   STRANGE    MEETING.  203 

Ihe  document,  explaining  where  I  bad  found  it.  He 
thanked  me  civilly  enough,  and  that  was  the  last  of  the 
matter  for  the  time. 

Breakfast  over  next  morning,  I  settled  myself  in  an 
easy-chair  beside  Juanita  in  the  verandah,  and  lit  a 
cigar.  The  Albino  was  not  to  be  seen,  nor  had  I  set 
eyes  on  him  up  to  that  time.  Juanita's  behaviour, 
generally  rather  strange,  was  now  altogether  peculiar. 
She  seemed  afraid  to  look  me  in  the  face,  and  I  was  in 
the  act  of  asking  her  to  tell  me  what  was  the  matter, 
when  she  suddenly  turned  pale,  and  rising,  retired 
hurriedly  into  her  own  apartment.  As  she  disappeared 
I  chanced  to  look  round.  A  party  of  Malay  police 
under  a  Dutch  officer  were  approaching  me.  The 
officer  held  a  sheet  of  paper  in  his  hand.  This  when 
he  reached  my  chair  he  presented,  at  the  same  time 
naying  in  broken  English — 

"Ess  it  you  are  Jan  Ram-say?  De  captain  Mother 
Pearl  sheep?" 

Replying  to  the  effect  that  I  was  the  man  he  sought, 
I  asked  his  business,  whereupon  he  said— 

"You  are  arrest,  Mynheer,  for  murder!" 

I  give  you  my  word  I  was  so  astonished  you  could 
have  knocked  me  down  with  a  feather.  That  the 
warrant,  for  so  I  conjectured  the  paper  he  held  in  hi» 
hand  to  be,  was  for  my  arrest  on  a  charge  of  causing 
the  death  of  the  Kanaka  Rhotoma  Jimmy,  I  had  no 
doubt;  but  who  could  have  supplied  the  information 
that  produced  it  ?  How  bitterly  I  blamed  myself  for 
delaying  to  report  the  mutter  to  the  consul  t  Now  it 


204  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

would  probably  be  a  matter  of  some  hours  before  I 
could  free  myself. 

Seeing  that  the  officer  desired  me  to  accompany  him^ 
I  called  Juanita  to  me,  and  I  shall  never  forget  the  look 
upon  her  face  when  she  came  into  fche  verandah.  The 
officer  bowed  politely  to  her. 

"  Juanita,"  I  said,  "  I  am  arrested  for  the  murder  of 
that  Kanaka  boy.  It's  only  a  matter  of  form,  but  it 
will  necessitate  my  leaving  you  for  an  hour  or  so.  Tell 
Macklin  what  has  happened,  and  ask  him  to  come  at 
once  to  our  consul,  that's  a  good  girl." 

Thereupon  I  surrendered  myself  to  the  officer,  who, 
to  my  supreme  annoyance,  insisted  on  handcuffing  me 
like  a  common  malefactor.  Then  the  Malay  policemen, 
wretched  little  fellows  but  little  bigger  than  monkeys, 
ranking  themselves  on  either  side,  and  the  officer  taking 
the  lead,  off  we  set  for  the  lock-up.  Here  I  was 
detained  for  nearly  an  hour,  in  company  with  a  collec- 
tion of  the  vagabond  riff-raff  of  the  town,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  I  was  handcuffed  again,  and  marched  off 
to  the  office  of  the  English  consul. 

On  arrival  there  I  was  thrust  into  a  small  room  and 
allowed  to  cool  my  heels  for  ten  minutes  or  so.  After 
that  I  was  led  into  a  spacious  chamber,  partaking 
more  of  the  nature  of  an  office  than  a  court  of  justicet 
and  placed  in  what  was  equivalent  to  the  dock. 

An  elderly  gentleman  of  dignified  appearance,  whom 
I  rightly  judged  to  be  the  consul,  sat  at  a  large  desk  at 
the  further  end  of  the  room,  busily  writing  in  a  book 
before  him.  A  couple  of  clerks  were  ranged  at  desks 


BATAVIA — A    STRANGE    MEETING.  205 

hard  by,  and  two  or  three  native  policemen  lounged 
near  the  door.  Presently  the  consul  looked  up,  and 
intimated  that  the  case  should  commence. 

I  was  thereupon  charged  with  having  wilfully  and 
maliciously  caused  the  death  of  a  native  known  as 
Rhotoma  Jimmy,  aboard  the  schooner  Mother  of  Pearl. 
while  on  a  voyage  from  Vanua  Lava  to  Batavia. 
Witnesses  were  called,  and,  to  my  delight,  the  first 
person  to  appear  was  none  other  than  John  Macklin. 
His  face  when  he  looked  towards  me  was  filled  with 
the  deepest  concern,  and  he  gave  his  evidence  with  well- 
simulated  reluctance. 

He  deposed  to  being  the  owner  of  the  schooner,  and 
therefore  my  employer ;  also  to  having  been  witness  to 
the  whole  affray  on  the  night  in  question.  I  had,  he 
was  extremely  sorry  to  say,  always  betrayed  an  intense 
and  unreasoning  dislike  to  the  dead  man,  and  for  this, 
on  more  than  one  occasion,  he  had  been  compelled  to 
remonstrate  with  me.  On  the  night  of  the  murder  I 
had  pulled  the  man  away  from  the  wheel  after  making 
some  complaint  about  his  steering,  and  without  warning 
struck  him  a  heavy  blow  with  a  belaying-pin  on  the 
side  of  his  head,  thus  undoubtedly  causing  his  death. 

I  could  hardly  believe  my  ears.  Was  it  possible  that 
a  man,  confessedly  my  friend,  could  so  unblushingly  swear 
a  fellow-creature's  life  away  ?  When  he  went  on  to  say, 
that  with  the  exception  of  this  one  single  instance,  I  had 
always  borne  an  excellent  character,  and  that  he  himself 
was  much  attached  to  me,  I  could  have  throttled  him 
where  he  stood,  and  gone  willingly  to  the  gallows  for  it 


206  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

The  next  witness  was  the  mate.  At  least,  if  he 
had  not  seen  the  affair,  he  would  be  able  to  clear  my 
character  of  the  charge  of  ill-will  against  the  dead  man. 
But,  to  my  continued  horror,  he  corroborated  all  the 
Albino  had  said,  at  the  same  time  throwing  in  some 
artistic  touches  of  his  own,  wliich  did  not  mend  matters. 
When  he  had  done  me  all  the  harm  he  could— God 
alone  knows  for  what  reason — he  stepped  down,  and  the 
next  witness  was  called.  Then  who  should  enter  the 
room  but  Juanita !  My  heart  leapt  for  joy.  She  at 
least  would  be  true  to  me,  and  by  her  help  I  might  be 
able  to  give  my  enemies  the  lie.  As  I  looked  at  her 
noble  figure,  and  noted  the  proud  flash  of  her  eyes  as 
she  glanced  round  the  court,  I  could  have  laughed  them 
all  to  scorn.  But  my  feeling  of  confidence  was  of  short 
duration. 

To  the  first  question  as  to  whether  she  had  seen  my 
assault  on  the  man,  she  falteringly  answered  "Yes." 
Then  my  heart  became  heavy  as  lead ;  I  knew  I  was 
ruined  and  done  for.  What  she  told  the  court  further 
I  never  heard.  When  she  had  given  her  evidence,  she 
left  the  room  on  the  Albino's  arm  weeping  bitterly,  and 
I  knew  I  was  the  victim  of  as  vile  a  conspiracy  as  ever 
was  hatched  to  promote  a  man's  ruin. 

Having  heard  all  the  witnesses,  the  consul  asked  me 
if  I  had  anything  to  say.  The  only  chance  I  could  see 
of  saving  myself  was  to  request  that  the  crew  might  be 
examined,  and  to  this  he  consented,  adjourning  the  case 
for  that  purpose  until  next  day.  Disregarding  any 
thought  of  applying  for  bail,  I  allowed  myself  to  ta 


BATAVIA — A    STRANGE    MEETING.  207 

marched  away  again,  not  to  the  lock-up  this  time,  but 
to  the  Dutch  prison  itself,  a  great  rambling  barrack  of 
a  place  on  the  other  side  of  the  town. 

Once  there,  I  was  cast  into  a  large  yard,  where  a 
meal  of  rice  was  given  me.  But  I  was  too  cast  down 
and  utterly  miserable  to  eat.  The  more  I  reflected 
upon  my  situation,  the  worse  it  appeared  to  become. 
If  my  enemies  intended  thus  to  swear  away  my  life, 
goodness  only  knew  what  the  end  would  be !  The 
reason  for  it  was  what  puzzled  me.  I  could  make 
neither  head  nor  tail  of  it.  But  though  I  could  not 
fathom  the  Albino's  motive,  I  began  to  see  the  reason 
of  Juanita's  strange  behaviour  the  previous  night,  and 
the  vague  hints  she  had  thrown  out' that  evening  along- 
side the  island.  Could  it  be  possible  that  all  the  time 
*he  was  in  collusion  with  the  Albino  ?  This  notion  I 
discarded  at  once.  What  most  affected  me  was  that 
they  were  in  league  now. 

For  hours  I  sat  thus  brooding  over  my  unhappy  fate. 
At  last,  unable  to  bear  it  any  longer,  and  to  distract  my 
thoughts,  I  turned  to  examine  my  companions,  and  the 
place  in  which  I  was  confined.  I  found  myself  in  a 
large  quadrangle  about  fifty  yards  long  by  thirty  wide, 
bounded  on  either  side  by  rows  of  cells,  and  having 
at  either  end  high  walls  of  rough  masonry,  each  sur- 
mounted with  a  bristling  ckeval  dt  frise.  As  far  as  I 
could  gather,  the  prisoners  confined  in  that  portion  of 
the  gaol  might  have  numbered  a  hundred,  and  were  for 
the  most  part  Malays  and  Chinamen,  with  a  sprinkling 
of  Europeans.  As  soon  as  they  became  aware  of  my 


208  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

presence  they  crowded  round  me,  gesticulating,  and 
criticising  my  woe-begone  appearance.  Among  them  I 
noticed  one  whom  I  knew  at  once  for  an  Englishman. 
In  spite  of  his  rags  and  filth  he  was  the  handsomest 
man  I  had  ever  seen ;  but  it  was  a  wild  reckless  sort  of 
beauty  for  all  that.  He  came  over  to  me,  and  placing 
his  hand  on  my  shoulder,  said — 

, "  You're  an  Englishman,  I  can  see.  Now,  how  the 
deuce  do  you  come  here  ?  " 

I  told  him  I  was  accused  of  murdering  a  man  aboard 
the  ship  of  which  I  was  skipper,  and  that  my  life  was 
being  sworn  away — 

He  laughed  and  went  on — 

"  My  boy,  I  pity  you  if  you  once  get  into  this  place. 
Look  at  me,  I've  been  in  here  over  six  months;  put 
away  for  resenting  an  insult  from  a  Dutch  officer; 
not  allowed  to  communicate  with  my  consul,  and 
told  to  hold  my  jaw  directly  I  ask  for  justice.  I  tell 
you  you're  in  luck's  way  if  you  even  get  brought  to 
trial  The  consul  will  ship  you  off  to  Singapore  by  the 
next  mail,  while  I'll  have  to  rot  here  till  I  can  pass  the 
word  to  some  one  outside  to  make  inquiries.  That's 
their  notion  of  civilization  in  this  God-forsaken 
country." 

At  that  moment  a  bell  clanged,  and  the  crowd  began 
to  scurry  into  their  cells  for  the  night  I  found  that 
my  new  friend  and  I  were  located  with  about  fourteen 
others  in  the  same  dormitory.  On  inspection  it  proved 
to  be  a  large  bare  room,  ill-lighted,  ill-kept,  and,  like  all 
other  parts  of  the  prison,  villainously  dirty.  The  beds 


JBATAVIA — A    STRANGE    MEETING.  209 

such  as  they  were,  were  strewn  about  on  the  floor,  jus' 
wherever  their  owners  cared  to  place  them,  and  each  one 
had  a  new  and  complicated  odour  of  its  own.  As  soon 
as  we  had  entered,  the  door  was  shut,  and  we  knew  that 
we  might  consider  ourselves  locked  up  for  the  night. 

One  thing  struck  me.  I  could  not  help  noticing  the 
respect  with  whick  my  companion  was  regarded  by  his 
fellow-prisoners.  His  word  seemed  to  rule  as  law,  and 
no  sooner  did  he  express  a  wish  than  it  was,  if  it  lay 
within  their  power,  immediately  gratified.  Thus  when 
he  asked  that  we  might  be  left  alone,  the  rest  of  the 
prisoners  migrated  to  the  other  end  of  the  room, 
and  we  were  free  to  continue  our  conversation  un- 
interrupted. 

"  Now  let's  have  your  story,"  he  said,  seating  himself 
on  the  pile  of  blankets  by  my  side.  "  You  can't  think 
what  a  pleasure  it  is  to  me  to  have  an  Englishman  to 
talk  to !  You  say  you're  the  victim  of  a  conspiracy ; 
tell  me  all  about  it  from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  Who 
knows  but  that  I  may  be  able  to  throw  some  new  light 
upon  the  subject." 

Beginning  at  the  very  commencement,  I  told  him 
everything,  only  suppressing  Juanita's  name.  He 
listened  with  the  utmost  attention,  and  his  interest 
seemed  to  increase  as  the  story  developed.  When  I 
had  finished,  he  said — 

"  By  Jove  I  I  begin  to  think  I  do  see  a  glimmering  of 
reason  in  it  after  all.  But  it's  a  strange  enough  affair, 
if  you  like.  Now  first  tell  me  what  sort  of  man  this 
dwarf  is,  who  proved  himself  your  friend  by  lending 


210  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

you  the  money  to  buy  the  schooner,  and  your  enemy, 
by  misrepresenting  your  connection  with  that  nigger." 

"  Well,  among  other  things,  he  was  an  Albino." 

He  jumped  up  like  a  shot. 

"An  Albino  and  a  dwarf?  Great  snakes!  What 
was  his  name  ?  " 

So  taken  aback  was  I  by  his  excitement,  that  for  the 
instant  I  could  only  stare  at  him.  He  seemed  more 
affected  by  my  story  than  if  he  had  undergone  it  all 
himself. 

"  Quickly/'  he  said,  "  what  is  the  name  of  this  dwarf, 
this  Albino  ? " 

"John  Macklin,"  I  answered  promptly,  and  when  he 
heard  it  he  began  to  pace  the  room,  like  a  man  labour- 
ing under  some  extraordinary  emotion. 

For  a  few  minutes  he  occupied  himself  in  this  fashion. 
Then,  in  the  middle  of  one  of  his  peregrinations,  he 
stopped  short,  and  asked  me  another  question. 

"  And  the  woman,  what  was  she  like  ?  Was  she  tall 
and  dark,  foreign  in  appearance,  with  a  suspicion  of  a 
moustache,  and  a  little  mole  on  the  lobe  of  her  left 
ear?" 

I  nodded,  wonderstruck.  He  smiled  a  pitying  sort 
of  smile. 

"  Perhaps  her  name  was  Juanita  ?  " 

Again  I  nodded. 

"  She  hailed  from  South  America  ?  " 

I  said  I  believed  so. 

"Well,  all  things  considered,  I  reckon  this  bit  of 
business  fairly  licks  creation." 


BATAVIA — A    STRANGE    MEETING.  211 

This  he  said  more  to  himself  than  to  me, 

"Anybody  would  think  you  knew  these  people,"  1 
remarked,  chock-full  of  astonishment. 

"  Know  them  ?  Well,  if  I  haven't  cause  enough  to 
know  them,  there's  not  a  man  knocking  round  this  old 
universe  who  has  1  But  their  cheek  beats  cock-fight- 
ing. Mark  my  words,  it'll  be  diamond  cut  diamond 
between  them  now." 

"  You're  getting  out  of  my  depth.  What  the  deuce 
do  you  mean  ?  " 

"Never  you  mind  just  now.  Tell  me  one  thing 
more.  When  the  Albino  found  the  money  for  you  to 
purchase  the  schooner,  did  he  say  that  he  knew 
Juanita  ?  * 

"  I  should  think  not.  On  the  other  hand,  he  sternly 
forbade  my  even  letting  her  know  of  his  existence.'' 

"  Ah  !  that  throws  another  light  upon  affairs.  They 
were  playing  lone  hands  after  all  He's  just  'Old 
Nick '  himself,  is  John  Macklin,  and  she's  pretty  near 
as  bad.  Now,  when  you  left  Thursday  Island,  am  I 
right  in  surmising  that  you  steered  a  straight  course 
for  the  Banks  Group  ? " 

"  I  don't  know  how  you  guessed  it,  but  we  did." 

"  And  you  brought  up  off  Vanua  Lava,  maybe  ?  " 

"  That's  so.     You've  hit  it  again." 

"  You  went  ashore  to  a  grave  about  a  hundred  yards 
inland,  under  a  tope  of  trees,  and  alongside  a  high 
bank,  to  look  for  a  locket  round  a  dead  man's  neck  ? " 

The  excitement  was  growing  intense.  Hardly  able 
to  trust  myself  to  speak,  I  fell  back  on  nodding, 


212  tN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"Then   you    opened    the   grave   and    discovered    * 
coffin?" 
"  Yes." 

*  And  you  found  in  it  ?  " 

"  Nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  ^heet  of  lead." 

"Ho,  ho!  I  can  imagine  their  disappointment.  And 
then  the  Albino  put  in  an  appearance  ?  " 

"He  did." 

"  At  his  suggestion  you  set  sail  for  Batavia  ?  " 

"Yes;  but  why  Batavia?  Only  tell  me  that,  and 
I'll  say  you've  got  the  tow-rope  of  the  whole  mystery." 

"Why,  to  me  it's  the  simplest  part  of  it.  Look 
here,  can't  you  see  this  ?  The  woman,  for  some  reason, 
had  staked  all  she'd  got  on  finding  that  locket  buried 
with  the  dead  man.  That's  it,  isn't  it?  Well,  the 
Albino  was  a  stranger  on  Thursday,  and  was  not  known 
to  do  any  work.  That  being  so,  why  was  he  there? 
People  don't  live  on  Thursday  for  pleasure,  or  the  good 
of  their  healths,  I  reckon  ?  " 

I  made  a  negative  sign,  and  he  continued — 

"  Why,  you  chuckle-head,  can't  you  see  he  was  there 
because  he  was  watching  some  one  ?  I  leave  it  to  you 
to  figure  out  who  that  some  one  was." 

"  Juanita,  I  suppose." 

"  You  suppose !  Of  course  it  was.  Well,  she  tells 
you  she  wants  money  to  reach  a  certain  island  for  a 
certain  purpose.  You  carry  the  news  on  to  him.  That's 
his  dart  exactly.  That's  jusl  what  he  wanted  to  know. 
He  wants  that  locket  too.  But  he  can  only  get  it 
through  her.  So,  under  a  cloak  of  friendship  he  lends 


BAT  A  VIA — A    STRANGE    MEETING.  213 

you  the  amount  to  get  the  boat,  and  then  clears  for  his 
natural  life  to  the  island  to  be  ready  for  you." 

"  Yes,  your  theory  's  very  pretty,  but  here's  the 
corker.  How  did  he  find  out  the  island's  name  ?  He 
didn't  get  it  from  me,  because  I  didn't  know  it  till  we 
sailed.  Somehow,  that  don't  seem  to  tally." 

"  Why,  you  galoot,  don't  you  think,  long  before  that, 
he  had  found  out  where  the  schooner  that  brought  the 
woman  and  her  husband  from  Tahiti  touched  before 
reaching  Thursday — where,  in  fact,  they  buried  the 
man  he  wanted  to  catch.  You  bet  he  did." 

"  I  never  thought  of  that." 

"Perhaps  not;  but  I  did.  He  sets  off,  as  I  say, 
reaches  the  island,  watches  to  see  where  the  grave  is, 
and  what  success  she  meets  with  when  she  opens  it ;  and 
then,  when  he  finds  out  how  he's  been  tricked,  saddles 
himself  upon  you  in  order  to  watch  the  woman  further. 
She  faints  directly  she  sees  him,  proving  as  clear  as  day- 
light that  not  only  has  she  met  him  before,  but  that  she 
has  good  cause  to  be  frightened  of  him.  By  Jove  !  I  can 
imagine  the  shock  to  their  systems  when  they  discovered 
that  the  man  whom  they  both  believed  to  be  dead  was 
in  reality  alive — that  he'd  hoodwinked  them  after  all" 

He  threw  back  his  head  and  laughed. 

"  And  what  then  ?  "  I  asked. 

*  Why,  don't  you  see,  the  treasure  they're  after  is 
slipping  through  their  fingers.  The  man  has  six  months 
start  of  them.  Directly  they  arrive  in  Batavia,  the 
Albino  sends  a  cablegram  to  England.  He  receives  a 
reply.  What  was  it?" 


214  IN   STRANGE    COMPANY. 

"  '  Still  unclaimed.     Come  at  once.     Don't  delay/  *  1 
answered,  reciting  the  words  on  the  form  I  had  picked 
up  in  the  verandah  of  the  H6tel  des  Indes. 
"  And  what  significance  has  that  for  you  ?  * 
"  I  can't  say,  unless  it  affects  the  treasure." 
"  You've  drawn  your  bead  on  the  bull's-eye  this  time, 
sure  enough.     That's  exactly  what  it  does  affect.     It 
affects  it  like  grim  death.     Don't  you  see — the  other 
man  hasn't  got  home  yet.     So  they've  still  a  chance  for 
the  money.     Now  they  know  they've  just  got  to  get  up 
and   clear   for   all   they're   worth   to   London.      What 
then?" 

"  It's  no  use ;  I'm  done  for,  clean  stumped  1  After 
that,  I  can't  make  head  or  tail  of  it." 

"  Why,  they  argue  in  this  way.  They  can't  take  the 
woman's  lover  with  them,  can  they  ?  He'd  not  only  be 
in  the  way,  but  he'd  probably  want  to  go  shares  in 
the  boodle.  The  woman  is  too  suspicious  to  let  the 
Albino  go  alone,  so,  as  the  man  has  served  his  purpose, 
he  must  be  got  rid  of.  But  how  ?  '  Ah  ! '  says  the 
Albino,  *  I've  got  it !  The  murder  of  the  Kanaka  ; 
that'll  fit  him  like  a  glove  ! '  Therefore  this  charge  was 
trumped  up  to  detain  you  here.  D'you  know.  I  should 
be  more  than  a  little  surprised  if  they  are  not  already 
gone." 

"  In  that  case,  what  will  become  of  me  ?  * 
"  That  remains  to  be  seen.     I  fancy  to-morrow  will 
set  it  right     But  I  suppose  you  understand  now  how 
you'-e  been  bilked?" 

••  Worse  luck  1     But  there's  one   thing  puzzles  me 


B  ATA  VIA — A    STRANGE   MEETING.  215 

more  than  all  the  rest,  and  that  is,  how  the  deuce  you 
come  to  know  all  this  so  accurately." 

"  My  boy,  if  I  gave  you  a  hundred  guesses  you'd 
never  hit  it." 

"  Well  then,  I  give  it  up,  first  time." 

"  And  yet,  I  reckon,  it's  as  clear  as  daylight  Who 
should  you  call  the  most  important  person  in  the  whole 
affair?" 

"  Why,  the  chap  who  caused  it  all — the  man  who  led 
them  such  a  dance — the  man  who  died." 

"  You  mean  the  man  who,  by  rights,  ought  to  have 
been  where  the  sheet  of  lead  was,  in  that  coffin  ?  w 

"  I  do." 

"  Well,  that's  how  I  came  to  know  about  it." 

I  jumped  to  my  feet,  and  all  the  other  occupants  of 
the  room,  hearing  my  exclamation  of  surprise,  turned 
round  to  look  at  me. 

"  What  the  devil  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Why,  can't  you  guess  ?  Because,  sonny,  I'm  that 
man.  I'm  the  man  who  led  them  such  a  dance.  I'm 
the  man  who  ought  to  have  been  dead  and  buried  iit 
that  coffin.  In  fact,  Tm  Marcos  Veneda  I * 


PART  III. 

CHAPTER  I. 

RAMSAY  IS   RELEASED   FROM  CUSTODY. 

rriO  say  that  I  was  only  astonished  by  Veneda's 
-*-  information,  and  the  explanation  he  gave  to  iny 
mystery,  would  be  to  define  it  too  tamely  altogether. 
To  tell  the  truth,  at  the  time  I  was  so  completely  over- 
whelmed by  it  as  to  be  unable  to  grasp,  in  the  least 
degree,  what  significance  it  had  for  me. 

Strange  though  it  may  appear,  while  the  most  galling 
part  of  the  whole  business  could  not  but  be  Juanita's 
treachery  to  myself,  this  was  almost  atoned  for,  in  my 
mind,  by  the  remembrance  of  her  singular  behaviour  on 
the  evening  preceding  my  arrest.  Come  what  may, 
with  this  knowledge  before  me,  I  shall  always  cherish 
the  belief  that  not  only  was  the  affection  she  pretended 
to  entertain  for  me  perfectly  genuine,  but  also  that  she 
was  alone  driven  to  such  extreme  measures  by  the 
extraordinary  influence  the  Albino  possessed  over  her. 

Poor  Juanita  I  To  be  unable  to  feel  bitterly  towards 
you  may  be  to  show  myself  *  soft-hearted  fool,  but 
whenever  I  think  of  that  night  on  the  King's  Plain,  and 


KAMSAY   IS   RELEASED   FROM   CUSTODY.       217 

remember  your  sorrowful  cry,  "  Oh,  Jack,  Jack,  if  you 
only  knew ;  if  we  could  but  be  our  true  selves  for  one 
little  moment  I "  all  reproaches  die  out  of  my  heart,  and 
in  their  place  springs  up  a  great  pity  and  a  great 
compassion  for  you. 

Another  thing  that  gave  me  plenty  to  think  about 
was  the  strange  fact  of  my  meeting  Yeneda,  of  all 
people,  and  in  such  a  place !  Though  as  yet  I  knew 
next  to  nothing  of  his  history,  I  could  not  but  see  that 
his  connection  with  the  affair  we  were  both  so  inter- 
ested in  was  genuine  enough.  As  for  himself,  as  soon 
as  he  had  told  me  his  name  he  left  me,  and  went 
without  another  word  to  his  bed,  not  to  speak  again  till 
morning. 

When  I  woke  it  was  just  daylight,  the  door  was 
open,  and  the  prisoners  were  passing  in  and  out.  So 
far  as  I  could  see,  in  the  part  of  the  building  in  which 
I  was  confined,  no  recognized  employment  was  found 
for  them;  though  in  the  other  wards,  I  believe,  they 
were  taken  out  under  escort,  to  do  the  street  scavenging, 
wood-cutting,  public  gardening,  etc. 

A  little  before  seven  o'clock  a  coarse  meal  was  served 
to  us,  and  while  I  was  partaking  of  it,  Veneda  came  up. 
I  made  room  for  him  to  sit  down  on  the  bench  beside 
me,  for  I  was  burning  to  question  him  further  on  the 
subject  that  lay  nearest  to  both  our  hearts. 

"  Look  here,"  I  said,  "  for  goodness'  sake  let's  get  thip 
thing  properly  squared  up.  I've  been  puzzling  my 
brain  over  it  till  I'm  nearly  crazy.  I  must  understand 
two  or  three  things  moi  s." 


218  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"  Go  ahead,"  he  replied  ;  "  you  can't  be  more  anxious 
to  get  to  the  bed  rock  than  I  am.  What  do  you  want 
to  know  ?  " 

"  Well,  in  the  first  place,  how  on  earth  you  managed 
to  die  and  come  to  life  again  so  cleverly  ?  Juanita  told 
me  she  saw  you  lying  stiff  and  stark  in  your  bunk." 

"  So  she  did,  as  far  as  she  knew ;  but  I  was  only 
playing  'possum.  It  was  the  one  way  out  of  my  diffi- 
culty, you  see.  I  knew  I  had  to  get  rid  of  her,  and 
there  was  no  other  fashion  in  which  it  could  be 
managed." 

"Then  the  captain  was  in  the  secret  after  all,  and 
his  dislike  to  you  was  all  assumed  ?  " 

"  Every  bit !  But  he  was  a  money-grubbing  old  dog, 
was  Boulger,  and  it  cost  me  a  cool  hundred  to  bring  him 
up  to  the  scratch.  Once  that  was  done,  all  was  plain 
sailing.  After  leaving  Tahiti,  cholera,  Yellow  Jack, 
fish-poisoning,  or  some  other  disease  came  aboard,  and 
the  crew  and  mate  went  down  before  it  like  ninepins. 
There  was  my  chance  !  I  pretended  to  go  under  to  it 
too.  The  skipper  acted  his  part  like  a  little  man,  and 
wouldn't  let  Juanita  into  the  cabin  for  fear  of  detection. 
Then,  in  the  night,  I  died.  Next  day,  according  to  her 
wish,  my  dummy  was  taken  ashore,  and  buried  on 
Vanua  Lava,  while  I  was  safely  stowed  away  in  the 
skipper's  cabin,  until  we  reached  Thursday  Island 
There  she  remained  to  hunt  up  a  way  of  getting  back  to 
look  for  that  locket" 

tt  While  you  ? " 

"  Next  morning  *  "«mght  a  craft  sailing  this  way. 


RAMSAY   IS    RELEASED    FROM   CUSTODY.       219 

intending  to  pick  up  a  mail-boat  from  Batevia,  iome. 
But  luck  was  against  me ;  I  ran  athwart  the  hawse  of 
a  Dutch  officer ;  put  a  bullet  into  him,  and  got  locked 
up.  That's  how  I  came  here.  Want  to  know  any  more  ?  " 

"One  thing.  Now  you're  alive,  what  is  going  to 
become  of  your  wife  ? " 

"  My  wife  ?  And  who  may  she  be  ?  Never  heard 
of  the  lady." 

"  But  Juanita  ?  * 

Veneda  whistled  a  long  note  of  astonishment. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  tell  me  she's  been  parading  me 
as  her  husband  ?  " 

"  You  re  not  ?     You're  not  Juanita's  husband  ?  * 

*  You'd  better  believe  I'm  not." 

"  Then,  my  God  !  how  I've  been  fooled !" 

Veneda  seemed  not  to  notice  my  remark,  but  sat 
Btaring  at  the  blue  sky  above  us.  Suddenly  he  sprang 
10  his  feet. 

"  Look  here,  Ramsay,"  he  cried,  "  come  what  may,  I 
must  get  out  of  this,  and  you  must  help  me." 

"  How  can  I  help  you  ?  If  it  comes  to  that,  I'm  in 
quite  as  bad  a  fix  as  you  are." 

"  No,  I  think  not,"  he  continued  gravely.  "  I  shouldn't 
be  at  all  surprised  if  you  find  yourself  at  liberty  to- 
night." 

"What  do  you  mean ?"  I  asked, jumping  at  the  hope 
he  held  out.  "  What  do  you  think  can  bring  such  a 
thing  about  ? " 

"  Never  mind,  you  wait  and  see.  But  if  you  do  get 
off,  will  you  pledge  yourself  to  assist  me  ?  " 


220  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"  If  I  do  get  off,"  I  said,  "I  ccald  inform  the  consul 
of  your  being  here,  and  he  would  get  you  out  himself." 

"  No,  no,  that  would  never  do ;  I've  been  thinking 
it  over.  If  the  consul  gets  wind  of  it,  he'll  make 
inquiries ;  then  the  matter  will  get  bruited  about,  and 
will  be  certain  to  come  to  the  ears  of  the  Albino's 
agents." 

"Agents?" 

"  Why,  of  course.  You  don't  imagine  that  little  devil 
hasn't  arranged  for  somebody  to  watch  your  movements 
here,  and  at  the  same  time  to  hunt  about  for  me  ! 
Bless  your  heart,  now  that  he  knows  I'm  alive,  I'd  bet 
a  thousand  pounds  to  a  halfpenny  he  finds  out  I'm 
in  here." 

"  Good  heavens,"  I  cried,  "  it's  a  perfect  network  of 
plots  and  counterplots,  and  I  seem  fated  not  to  under- 
stand it.  Now  you're  alive,  and  still  the  possessor  of 
your  money,  what  do  they  want  that  locket  for  ?  They 
can  never  hope  to  find  out  where  you  buried  the  gold." 

"Buried  the  what?" 

"  The  gold  you  obtained  by  your  last  legacy  when 
you  were  in  San  Francisco." 

"  Sonny,  they've  been  playing  you  again.  What 
do  you  mean  ?  I  never  had  any  legacy." 

Thereupon  I  set  to  work  and  told  him  the  story 
Juanita  had  told  me.  He  laughed  uproariously,  then 
smacking  me  on  the  shoulder  said — 

"  You  just  help  me  to  get  out  of  here,  and  you'll 
see  what  I'm  worth.  I  pi  >mise  you'll  not  find  me 
ungrateful." 


RAMSAY  IS  RELEASED  FROM  CUSTODY.   221 

"  Well,  if  I  do  get  off,"  I  answered,  "  I  give  you  m}i 
word  that  I'll  do  my  best  for  you." 

We  shook  hands  gravely  upon  it,  and  I  continued — 

"  In  what  way  do  you  propose  to  effect  your  e*cape  ? 
If  we're  going  to  make  any  plans,  we'd  better  set  to 
work  upon  them  at  once." 

"  Walk  over  here  with  me  and  I'll  tell  you  all  I 
think." 

With  that  we  began  to  pace  the  courtyard,  and 
Veneda  to  propound  his  theory. 

"Now,"  he  said,  "my  idea  is  this.  You  see  that 
further  wall  ? " 

I  nodded.  It  was,  as  I  have  said  before,  a  soone 
affair,  perhaps  thirty  feet  in  height,  surmounted  by  a 
bristling  cheval  defrise. 

"  Well,  on  the  other  side  of  it,  as  far  as  I  can  gather 
from  the  natives  locked  up  in  here,  is  a  road,  with  a 
big  paddy  field  on  the  other  side  of  that  again.  At 
night,  a  sentry  or  patrol  of  some  kind  passes  round  the 
entire  building  once  every  ten  minutes,  and  naturally 
our  attempt  must  be  made  between  his  visits." 

"  But  how  do  you  propose  to  get  over  it  ? "  I 
asked,  looking  at  the  wall's  apparently  unscalable 
height 

"  Very  easily,"  my  intrepid  companion  replied,  "  if 
you  will  only  carry  out  my  instructions  to  the 
letter." 

"  Let  me  hear  what  they  are,  and  I'll  do  the  best  I 
can  for  you." 

"  Well,  in  the  first  place  you  will  procure  from  one 


222  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

of  the  stores  in  the  town,  sixty  feet  of  strong  rope. 
With  this  carefully  disguised  you  will  wait  till  mid- 
night ;  then  you  must  engage  a  small  kharti  (native  cab) 
with  a  good  strong  Malay  boy  driver,  and  proceed  to 
the  other  side  of  this  wall  When  you  get  there,  and 
only  then,  you  will  say  to  the  boy — by  the  way,  do  you 
speak  Malay  ?  " 

"  No  ;  unfortunately  I  don't." 

"  That's  a  pity,  but  it  can't  be  helped  * 

He  stopped  and  thought  for  a  moment,  then  borrow- 
ing a  pencil  and  a  piece  of  paper,  w^ote  something 
on  it. 

"  Tbere  are  two  sentences,  *  he  said,  and  he  repeated 
tbem  ou  ie  or  twice  to  enable  me  to  pick  up  the  proper 
accent.  "  This  one  means,  '  To  the  gaol ' — that,  *  You 
shall  have  ten  guilders  If  you  help  me.'  Say  them  over 
to  me." 

I  repeated  them  till  I  was  tired,  and  only  then  did 
ie  seem  satisfied. 

"  I  think  he'll  sumjao  you  now,"  he  said. 

"  And  when  J  get  here,"  I  continued,  "  what  am  I 
to  do?" 

"  Then  you  will  anooii  the  rope  and  throw  one  end 
over  the  wall,  to  the  left,  there.  I  will  make  it  fast 
round  my  waist,  and  you  and  the  boy  must  manage 
between  you  to  pull  me  up  to  the  top.  It'll  be  a 
struggle,  but  you  must  do  it  somehow." 

"  And  if  the  sentry  should  appear  while  we're  at  it, 
what  then  ? ' 

"  Well, in  tha*  "-ase,"  he  said  with  a  laugh,  "I'll  leave 


RAMSAY   IS    RELEASED    FROM    CUSTODY.       223 

it  to  your  own  instinct  to  know  what  to  do  with  him ; 
but  I  should  suggest  timing  it  so  that  you'll  just  misa 
him." 

"  And  how  are  you  going  to  manage  to  get  into 
this  courtyard  after  you've  been  locked  up  for  the 
night?"  " 

"  Leave  that  to  me,  I'll  work  it.  Perhaps  I  shan't 
go  in  at  all" 

"  And  when  you're  out,  what  are  your  plans  ?  " 

"  Tanjong  Priok,  as  slippery  as  the  Malay  can  take 
us.  Then  we  must  get  into  the  docks,  borrow  a  boat, 
and  set  sail  for  the  islands,  to  hide  there  till  we  can 
get  on  to  Singapore  or  Ceylon.  Batavia  will  be  no 
sort  of  place  for  either  of  us  after  that.  You'll  stand 
by  me,  Ramsay  ?  " 

"  I've  given  you  my  word,"  I  said ;  *  I  can't  say  more 
than  that,  can  I  ?  " 

"  Not  if  you're  the  man  I  take  you  to  be.  Anyhow 
111  trust  you." 

Just  at  that  moment  a  stir  was  observable  in  the 
y*,rd ;  the  great  gate  at  the  end  swung  open,  and  a 
party  of  police  entered.  They  came  to  where  I  stood, 
and  signified  that  I  should  accompany  them. 

"  Good  luck,"  cried  Veneda  as  I  rose  to  go ;  "  don't 
forget  me." 

I  waved  my  hand  to  him  and  off  we  set.  Once  more 
our  route  lay  in  the  direction  of  the  consul's  office, 
and  arriving  there,  I  was  ushered  into  his  presence 
forthwith.  It  seemed  to  me  that  on  this  occasion  he 
regarded  me  in  rather  a  somewhat  different  light. 


224  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"  I  suppose  you're  aware,"  he  began,  when  the  case 
was  opened,  "of  the  serious  nature  of  the  charge 
against  you  ?  " 

I  told  him  I  was. 

"  Have  you  anything  more  to  say  on  the  subject  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  but  that  I  am  the  victim  of  a  villainous 
conspiracy,"  I  answered.  "  I  certainly  did  struggle  with 
the  man,  and  I  don't  deny  that  I  hit  him,  but  it  was 
in  purest  self-defence.  He  was  a  noted  bad  character, 
and  only  came  aboard  at  Thursday  Island  as  a  stow- 
away. On  the  occasion  in  question  I  had  reprimanded 
him  several  times  without  any  effect,  and  I  was  in  the 
act  of  doing  so  again  when  he  rushed  at  me.  Had 
I  not  closed  with  him,  he  would  have  dashed  my  brains 
out  with  a  belaying-pin.  It  was  my  fault  that  he  died, 
but  though  I  struck  him,  I  had  not  the  very  faintest 
intention  of  killing  him.  I  don't  know  who  laid  the 
charge  against  me,  but  that  it  was  preferred  simply  to 
get  me  out  of  the  way,  I  am  as  certain  as  that  I  stand 
before  you  now." 

Thereupon,  being  permitted,  I  set  to  work  and  tola 
him  my  story,  just  as  I  had  told  it  to  Veneda  the  pre* 
ceding  night.  He  listened  with  the  utmost  attention, 
and  having  asked  me  one  or  two  questions,  said — 

"  I  am  inclined  to  believe  you.  There  is  certainly 
something  very  underhand  somewhere." 

Stopping  his  examination,  he  wrote  something  on  a 
sheet  of  paper,  and  ringing  a  bell,  ordered  that  it  should 
be  despatched  immediately  It  was  a  telegram,  I  dis- 
covered later,  to  Thursday  Island.  Having  done  this, 


RAMSAY   IS   RELEASED    FROM    CUSTODY.       225 

he  recommenced  his  examination,  and  finally  remarked — 
"  I  have  sent  for  some  information  about  you ;  until  I 
receive  it,  you  will  be  detained  here." 

Turning  to  the  police,  he  said  something  in  Dutch, 
whereupon  I  was  marched  into  another  room,  and  locked 
up.  During  the  period  of  waiting  my  thoughts  were 
none  of  the  pleasantest.  From  a  consideration  of  my 
own  position,  they  wandered  to  the  strange  story  Veneda 
had  told  me,  and  thence,  by  natural  transition,  to 
Juanita  and  her  professed  love  for  myself.  From 
Juanita  they  passed  back,  across  what  seemed  a  vast 
interval  of  years,  to  my  first  love  Maud;  and  as  I  allowed 
my  mind  to  dwell  upon  her  sweet  face,  her  ladylike 
manners,  her  gentle  disposition,  and  her  general  refine- 
ment, a  great  home-sickness  came  upon  me,  and  I  re- 
solved then  and  there,  that  if  ever  the  opportunity 
offered,  I  would  forsake  my  wandering  life,  and  go  back 
to  England,  like  the  prodigal  son,  never  to  leave  it 
again  su  long  as  I  should  live. 

While  these  thoughts  were  thronging  my  brain,  I 
was  again  summoned  into  the  consul's  presence.  This 
time  he  greeted  me  with  a  smile. 

"  Mr.  Ramsay,"  he  said,  "  I  have  been  making  in- 
quiries in  Thursday  Island  about  you,  and  partly  on 
their  account,  and  partly  in  consideration  of  the  fact 
that  the  Mother  of  Pearl  and  all  the  witnesses  against 
you  have  seen  fit  to  decamp,  goodness  only  knows 
where,  I  have  decided  to  release  you  from  custody,  on 
the  ground  that  there  is  not  sufficient  reliable  evidence 
to  warrant  your  detention.  You  may  thank  your  stars 


226  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

that  you  have  got  off  so  easily,  and  I  hope  this  will  be 
a  lesson  to  you  to  keep  out  of  such  company  in  the 
future." 

I  thanked  him  warmly  for  his  action  in  the  matter, 
and  at  the  same  time  asked  him  if  my  bag  had  been 
taken  away  from  the  H6tel  des  Indes.  It  had,  and  he 
gave  instructions  to  his  clerk  that  it  should  be  handed 
over  to  me.  I  was  particularly  anxious  about  this,  for 
I  had  nearly  forty  pounds  of  the  three  hundred  the 
Albino  had  given  me  in  it,  and  I  knew  I  should  want 
all  the  money  I  could  get  to  ensure  success  in  the 
perilous  enterprise  which  lay  before  me. 

After  answering  the  consul's  inquiries  as  to  what  1 
intended  to  do  with  myself  now  that  my  ship  had  sailed 
without  me,  by  saying  that  I  had  not  yet  made  up  my 
mind,  I  left  his  office,  and  departed  in  the  direction  of 
the  town. 

As  we  drove  through  it  on  the  ill-starred  day  of 
our  arrival,  I  had  noticed  some  Stores,  which  I  now 
thought  would  be  likely  to  contain  the  article  I  required. 
I  was  right,  and  obtaining  what  I  sought  in  the  way  of 
rope,  I  returned  to  my  hotel,  took  a  room,  and  composed 
myself  to  rest  until  it  should  be  time  to  set  off  on  the 
business  of  the  night. 

As  darkness  fell  it  began  to  rain,  and  continued  to 
pour  down  until  well  after  ten  o'clock.  Fortunately 
not  a  sign  of  the  moon  was  to  be  seen ;  a  thick  pall  of 
clouds  obscured  the  entire  sky.  Having  nothing  to  do, 
I  sat  and  smoked  in  my  verandah  all  the  evening,  and 
it  was  not  until  after  eleven  that  I  commenced  any 


RAMSAY    18    RELEASED    FKOM    CUSTODY.       22V 

preparations  for  my  departure.  Then,  stowing  my 
money  and  what  few  little  things  I  valued  among  my 
effects  about  my  person,  and  carrying  the  big  parcel 
of  rope,  wrapped  up  in  as  unsuspicious  a  manner  a? 
possible,  under  my  arm,  I  closed  my  bedroom  door, 
and  passed  out  across  the  garden  into  the  streaming 
street 


CHAPTER  IL 

GAOL-BIIEAKING   EXTRAORDINARY. 

WHEN  I  left  the  hotel  I  hurried  with  all  the  speed 
I  could  command  in  the  direction  I  knew  the 
gaol  to  lie.  As  I  went,  I  kept  my  eyes  open  for  a 
kharti  of  the  required  description.  It  was  late,  I  knew, 
for  a  cabby  to  be  abroad,  but  I  had  little  doubt  that  I 
should  soon  f>iid  some  driver  who  would  be  glad  to  earn 
a  few  additional  guilders,  in  spite  of  the  dangerous 
nature  of  the  business  for  which  I  wanted  him.  Apart 
from  any  consideration  of  the  time  to  be  saved  by  driv- 
ing, it  was  very  necessary  that  I  should  obtain  a  con- 
veyance soon,  or  my  wanderings  with  a  large  and  heavy 
parcel  (for  sixty  feet  of  stout  rope  is  no  light  burden) 
would  be  more  than  likely  to  attract  the  attention  and 
suspicion  of  some  of  the  curious  night  watchmen,  one 
of  whom  I  passed  about  every  hundred  yards.  Fortu- 
nately, however,  it  was  a  wet  night,  and  these  gentry 
preferred  the  shelter  of  their  boxes  to  following  myste* 
rious  pedestrians,  otherwise  I  might  have  been  called 
upon  to  stop  and  give  an  account  of  myself,  and  my 
reason  for  being  so  late  abroad. 


GAOL-BREAKING   EXTRAORDINARY.  229 

As  no  sign  of  any  conveyance  was  to  be  seen,  I  began 
to  despair  of  obtaining  one,  and  was  in  the  act  of  turn- 
ing down  a  by-lane,  through  which  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  a  vehicle  to  pass,  in  order  to  reach  the 
prison,  when  I  heard  the  sounds  of  a  pony's  feet  behind 
me,  and  the  cries  of  the  driver  urging  it  forward. 

As  soon  as  he  was  close  enough,  I  sang  out  to  the 
cabby  to  stop.  Thereupon  he  hauled  up,  and  waited 
for  me  to  approach  him.  As  this  looked  like  my  last 
chance,  I  wasn't  going  to  give  him  an  opportunity  of 
saying  whether  he  wanted  another  fare  that  night  or 
not,  but  jumped  up  on  the  back  seat  before  he  could 
expostulate,  and  pressing  five  guilders  into  his  hand, 
bade  him  drive  to  the  gaol. 

He  must  have  thought  me  metd  or  drunk,  for  he 
approached  a  smile  as  near  as  a  Malay  can  get  to  it 
without  breaking  his  neck,  and  urged  the  pony  forward 
at  increased  speed.  Ten  minutes  later  we  had  drawn 
up  opposite  the  gaol  wall,  under  cover  of  some  over- 
hanging trees,  and  I  was  anxiously  waiting  for  the 
passing  of  the  sentry,  and  the  approach  of  twelve 
o'clock. 

By  this  time  .my  charioteer  had  some  idea  of  wha 
was  going  forward,  for  he  gave  unmistakable  signs  that..,' 
he  wished  to  be  off.     This,  however,  I  had  no  intention 
of  allowing  him  to  do,  so  placing  another  five  guilders 
in  hia  hand,  I  repeated  the  sentence  Veneda  had  taught 
me  so   carefully,  to  the  effect  that  "he  should   have 
ten   more  /f  he  helped  me."     This  seemed  to  decide 
him,  for  he  jabbered  something  in  reply,  and  I  saw  bj 


IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

the  way  he  settled  himself  down  in  his  seat,  that  nol 
only  had  he  resigned  himself  to  his  fate,  but  that  I 
could  safely  count  upon  his  co-operation. 

Hardly  had  I  finished  my  talk  with  him  than  I  espied 
something  dark  moving  against  the  further  end  of  the 
long  bare  wall.  My  heart  gave  a  jump  as  I  recognized 
the  Malay  sentry.  He  was  armed  with  rifle  and  bayonet, 
and  was  muffled  up  like  the  watchmen  I  had  met  on 
my  journey  through  the  town.  So  narrow  was  the 
road  that,  to  my  horror,  I  saw  he  would  be  compelled 
to  pass  within  fifteen  feet  of  where  our  conveyance 
stood ;  so  close  indeed,  that  it  seemed  impossible  he 
could  fail  to  be  aware  of  our  presence.  But  he  was  no 
doubt  tired  and  sleepy,  and  as  on  this  side  of  the  prison 
no  eye  could  observe  his  actions,  he  was  in  the  habit  of 
indulging  himself  with  a  nap  as  he  passed  round  it. 

Directly  he  had  turned  the  corner  I  hastened  across 
the  road,  and  prepared  to  hurl  the  rope  I  had  previously 
uncoiled  over  the  wall. 

Beckoning  my  cabman  to  me,  I  bade  him  lay  hold 
of  one  end,  and  next  moment  the  other  was  whistling 
through  the  air.  As  I  threw  it,  I  wondered  if  Veneda 
had  managed  his  part  of  the  contract,  and  also  what 
would  befall  me  if  he  did  not  make  his  appearance 
before  the  sentry  should  pass  that  way  again.  But  I 
was  not  to  be  kept  very  long  in  suspense,  for  a  minute 
had  hardly  elapsed  before  I  felt  a  sharp  twitch  upon 
the  line ;  a  signal,  I  did  not  doubt,  that  all  was  right 
on  the  other  side.  A  second  jerk  bade  me  pull. 

I  promise  you  it  ^as  no  easy  task  to  haul  a  heav 


GAOL-BREAKING   EXTRAORDINARY.  231 

man  like  Veneda  over  a  thirty  feet  wall,  more  espe- 
cially as  the  rope  had  to  draw  over  the  cheval  de  frise 
above  the  storie  coping.  It  seemed  as  if  we  should 
never  get  him  to  the  top,  and  that  the  sentry  must 
appear  before  we  could  accomplish  it.  I  don't  think  I 
ever  spent  a  longer  five  minutes  in  my  life.  But  every 
second  the  pile  of  rope  was  increasing  at  our  feet ; 
Veneda  could  not  surely  be  more  than  a  few  feet  from 
the  top.  Suddenly  there  was  a  crack,  a  big  jump  on 
the  rope,  and  a  dull  and  ominous  thud  on  the  other 
nide.  What  had  happened  ? 

I  soon  realized  it  all.  The  cheval  de  frise  had  given 
way  under  the  strain  upon  it,  and  the  rope  had  dropped 
on  to  the  coping  of  the  wall  itself.  The  thud  must 
have  been  Venecia's  body  striking  against  it. 

Once  more  we  pulled  till  we  could  get  no  further 
draw  on  the  rope.  It  had  jammed  against  the  broken 
iron-work. 

Funnelling  my  mouth  with  my  hands,  I  called  to 
Veneda,  but  received  no  answer.  What  could  be  the 
matter  ?  Could  the  bump  against  the  wall  have  stunned 
him  ?  As  I  wondered,  to  my  consternation  I  heard 
'botsteps  approaching  round  the  corner.  It  was  the 
sentry  again.  Now  we  were  in  a  pretty  fix  !  To  let 
go  the  rope  would  be  to  allow  Veneda  to  drop  thirty 
feet  down  on  to  the  ground  on  the  other  side  ;  yet,  on 
*he  other  hand,  I  knew  it  would  be  fatal  to  permit  the 
sentry  to  discover  us  in  this  invidious  position.  I  ran- 
sacked my  brains  for  a  way  out  of  the  difficulty.  The 
sweat  streamed  over  my  face ;  it  was  like  some  horrible 


232  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

nightmare  from  which,  strive  how  I  would,  I  could  not 
awake.  And  every  moment  the  steps  were  coming 
closer. 

So  far  as  I  could  see  there  was  only  one  thing  to  be 
done ;  feeble  reed  though  he  was  to  lean  upon,  I  must 
trust  to  the  fidelity  of  the  Malay  driver.  Signing  to 
him  to  hang  on  to  the  rope,  as  if  his  very  life  depended 
on  it,  I  left  him,  and  crept  towards  the  corner.  It  was 
my  idea  to  jump  upon  the  sentry  as  he  came  round  it, 
hoping  to  being  able  to  silence  him  before  he  could  give 
the  alarm. 

What  I  went  through  during  the  thirty  seconds  or 
so  in  which  I  lay  crouched  behind  the  buttress  of  that 
wall  no  man  will  ever  understand.  The  steps  came 
nearer  and  nearer — I  pulled  myself  together  in  pre- 
paration for  the  spring.  It  seemed  as  if  the  beating  of 
my  heart  must  be  plainly  audible  yards  away. 

Then  suddenly  a  dark  figure  appeared  before  me,  and 
I  leapt  upon  it. 

So  swift  was  my  onslaught  that  the  man  had  not 
time  to  guard  himself  before  my  left  arm  was  round 
his  waist  and  my  right  hand  tightening  on  his  throat. 
My  left  leg  I  crooked  round  his  right,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  throwing  him.  He  was  a  plucky  fellow,  and  did 
his  best  against  me.  But  his  surprise  was  no  match 
for  my  despair.  As  we  swayed  backwards  and  for- 
wards his  rifle  fell  from  his  grasp,  striking  the  wall  with 
an  awful  clatter.  When  I  heard  that  I  gave  myself  up 
for  lost. 

Exerting  all  my  strength,  I  lifted  him  clear  off  the 


GAOL-BREAKING    EXTRAORDINARY.  233 

ground  (a  feat  I  could  never  have  accomplished  in  cold 
blood),  and  dashed  him  from  me  against  the  buttress 
edge.  His  head  struck  it  with  a  ghastly  thud;  he 
slipped,  fell,  and  lay  upon  the  ground  a  huddled-up 
mass  of  groaning  humanity.  Ascertaining  that  he  was 
powerless,  I  turned  and  ran  in  the  direction  of  the  rope, 
*.o  which  I  was  relieved  beyond  all  measure  to  find  the 
Malay  still  clinging. 

What  to  do  now  was  a  puzzle.  I  reflected  there 
were  only  two  ways  out  of  it — I  must  either  be  content 
co  abandon  the  enterprise  altogether,  and  to  leave  Veneda 
to  his  fate,  or,  as  he  could  not  come  down  to  me,  go  up 
to  him.  But  whatever  I  intended  to  do  must  be  ac- 
complished quickly,  for  it  might  be  the  sentry's  duty  to 
/eport  himself  as  he  went  by  the  guard-house  every 
round,  and  in  that  case  his  non-appearance  would  be 
the  signal  for  search,  and  we  should  be  irretrievably 
lost. 

With  this  thought  in  my  mind  I  clutched  the  rope 
and  began  to  swarm  up  it,  trusting  to  Providence  that 
whatever  was  keeping  it  at  the  top  would  hold  it  until 
I  could  get  there. 

Even  now,  when  I  think  about  the  climb  to  the  top 
of  that  prison  wall,  I  feel  a  shudder  pass  over  me.  It 
was  interminable.  I  seemed  to  be  doomed  to  climb 
thousands  of  feet  of  rope,  and  never  to  get  any  farther. 
But  at  last  it  was  accomplished,  and  I  was  hauling 
myself  along  the  broken  chcval  de  frise,  to  where  a  black 
mass  lay  blocked  between  it  and  the  stones.  Needless 
to  say,  that  mass  was  Veneda,  and  unconscious.  He 


234  IN   STRANGE    COMPANY. 

had  tied  the  rope  round  his  waist  before  starting,  an  A 
its  sudden  drop  from  the  ironwork  on  to  the  coping 
must  have  inflicted  on  him  a  terrible  wrench ;  in  swing- 
ing round,  his  head  had  struck  the  wall  with  sufficiett 
force  to  stun  him. 

One  glimpse  was  enough  to  show  me  that  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  help  himself,  so  drawing  the  rope 
up,  I  made  it  fast  round  the  stanchions  of  the  iron,  and 
pulling  his  body  over  to  the  other  side,  lowered  it  as 
gently  as  I  could,  under  the  circumstances,  to  the 
ground.  It  was  a  dangerous  undertaking,  for,  as  I  have 
said,  he  was  a  heavy  man,  and  I  had  only  the  narrow 
top  of  the  wall  on  which  to  take  a  purchase  with  my  feet. 

How  it  was  that  no  one  saw  us  from  the  prison  side 
I  am  at  a  loss  to  understand.  I  can  only  attribute  it  to 
the  fortunate  darkness  of  the  night ;  for  had  the  moon 
been  visible  we  must  certainly  have  been  discovered. 

As  soon  as  Veneda  reached  the  ground  I  slipped 
down  the  rope  to  his  side,  and  with  the  assistance  of 
the  Malay  bore  him  to  the  cab.  Then,  without  wait- 
ing to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  unfortunate  sentry, 
who  still  lay  where  I  had  thrown  him,  off  we  set  a"* 
fast  as  the  pony  could  trke  us  in  the  direction  of  the 
port. 

At  the  best  of  times,  and  under  the  most  pleasant 
circumstances,  it  is  a  miserable  drive ;  bvrt  with  a  sick 
man  to  support,  for  Veneda  had  not  yet  returned  to 
consciousness  a  treacherous  Malay  to  watch,  and  my 
own  balance  in  *he  tiny  cart  to  keep,  it  was  one  long- 
continued  horror 


GAOL-BREAKING    EXTRAORDINARY.  235 

The  awkwardness  of  my  position  was  increased  ten- 
fold by  Veneda's  insensibility,  for,  not  being  able  to 
speak  Malay  myself,  I  had  no  one  now  to  fall  back 
upon.  I  could  only  repeat  "  Tanjong  Priok,  Tanjong 
Priok,"  over  and  over  again,  prefacing  my  remarks 
with  a  guilder,  and  accompanying  each  repetition  with 
hints  of  more.  But  such  was  my  despair,  that  had  my 
driver  attempted  to  play  me  false,  I  believe  I  should 
have  terminated  his  existence  without  thinking  twice 
about  the  matter. 

The  endurance  of  the  little  rat  of  a  pony  was  nothing 
short  of  marvellous ;  along  heavy  roads,  through  slushy 
pools,  up  and  down  hill,  he  dashed  with  a  vigour  of 
which,  had  I  not  seen  it  for  myself,  I  should  hardly 
have  believed  him  capable.  Now  and  again  the  moon 
struggled  out  between  the  clouds  to  reveal  a  waste  of 
horrible  country.  Dense  mangrove  swamps,  reeking 
paddy  fields,  slimy  canals,  funereal  barges,  and  native 
dwellings  slid  past  us,  like  the  ever-changing  patterns 
of  a  kaleidoscope. 

Once  or  twice  my  companion  showed  signs  of  return- 
ing consciousness,  but  it  was  only  for  a  few  seconds,  and 
after  each  he  inevitably  sank  back  again  into  his 
former  comatose  condition.  Seeing  him  so  long  in  this 
state,  I  began  to  be  alarmed  for  his  life,  and  even 
seriously  contemplated  abandoning  the  flight  and  taking 
refuge  somewhere,  until  I  could  bring  trustworthy 
medical  advice  to  his  assistance.  But  this  extreme 
measure  was,  after  all,  not  necessary,  for  as  we  approached 
the  port  he  opened  his  eyes. 


258  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?"  he  asked  faintly,  trying  to  lift 
his  head  up  to  look  about  him. 

I  explained  as  briefly  as  I  could,  and  asked  him  hotf 
he  felt. 

44 1  don't  know,"  he  said  ;  "  somehow  I  seem  to  be 
dead  below  my  waist.  What  happened  to  me  ?  Oh,  I 
remember,  that  cursed  rope." 

Turning  his  face  to  the  driver  he  said  something  in 
Malay,  to  which  the  boy  offered  a  vigorous  reply. 

"  I  have  been  asking  him,"  said  Veneda,  "  if  he  can 
get  us  anywhere  near  the  docks  without  exciting 
attention,  and  he  says  he  thinks  he  can.  He  declares 
there'll  be  the  devil  and  all  to  pay  for  this  night's  work, 
which,  all  things  considered,  I  don't  think  unlikely." 

Then  taking  my  hand,  he  continued,  but  in  a  different 
tone — 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  say  to  you  for  what  you've 
done  for  me.  I'm  afraid,  though,  you've  had  your 
trouble  in  vain;  I'm  in  an  awful  state." 

"  I'm  more  than  sorry  to  hear  it,"  I  replied ;  "  but 
bite  on  the  bullet,  old  man,  we'll  never  say  die." 

"  It's  devilish  good  of  you,  Ramsay ;  but  don't  you 
think  you'd  better  clear  out  without  me  ?  I  shan't 
think  a  bit  the  worse  of  you  for  it,  and  it  will  only  be 
spoiling  your  own  chance  to  burden  yourself  with  rne." 

I  cannot  remember  what  reply  I  made  to  this,  but  I 
believe  it  was  to  the  effect  that  we  were  in  the  same 
boat,  and  must  sink  or  swim  together.  Somehow  my 
heart  was  more  warmly  disposed  towards  the  poor 
fellow  in  his  helplessness  than  it  had  ever  been  in  his 


GAOL-BREAKING    EXTRAORDINARY.  237 

strength      Such  a  strange  and  wonderful  thing  is  the 
responsibility  of  protection. 

By  this  time  we  were  close  to  the  shore.  I  could 
smell  the  sea-breeze  distinctly ;  and  the  first  whiff  of  it 
put  new  life  into  me.  It  was  the  breath  of  freedom, 
and  with  that  in  my  nostrils  I  felt  there  was  nothing  I 
could  not  do  or  dare.  Like  the  old  war-horse,  whose 
courage  rises  and  whose  old  deeds  of  derring-do  come 
back  to  him  with  the  ring  of  the  trumpet- call,  so  all 
my  powers  and  energies  derived  a  fresh  fillip  from  that 
glorious  ozone. 

When  we  reached  a  safe  place  the  driver  pulled  up, 
and  I  lifted  my  companion  out  of  the  cab. 

Only  a  wall  separated  us  from  the  docks.  With  the 
Malay's  assistance,  and  a  vast  deal  of  pain  to  the  sufferer 
himself,  whom  I  could  hear  grinding  his  teeth  in  his 
endeavour  to  prevent  any  cry  escaping  him,  I  got 
Veneda  over  it. 

This  accomplished,  I  gave  the  driver  the  sum  I  had 
promised  him,  and  saw  him  start  away  on  his  journey 
back  to  the  city.  Then  I  rejoined  Veneda,  and  taking 
him  up  in  my  arms,  proceeded  towards  the  wharf  side. 
Laying  him  down,  I  started  off  in  search  of  a  boat. 

On  every  side  were  numerous  big  craft,  mail-steamers, 
men-of-war,  etc.,  but  further  inland,  towards  the  river, 
was  the  sort  of  vessel  I  wanted — a  small  native  sailing 
boat  of  about  two  tons.  The  moon  emerged  from 
behind  a  cloud  as  I  stepped  on  board  her  to  investigate. 
Only  one  man  was  to  be  seen,  and  he  lay  asleep  under 
a  sort  of  thatch  place  aft  Without  disturbing  him,  I 


238  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

crept  off  again  and  back  along  the  wharf  to  Veneda, 
Taking  him  up,  I  carried  him  to  the  boat  and  aboard, 
placing  him  very  gently  under  the  shelter  beside  the 
sleeping  man. 

Just  as  I  did  so,  three  bells  struck  on  a  big  steamer 
in  the  pool  with  alarming  distinctness.  The  clan»g  was 
taken  up  by  some  of  the  other  boats  round  about,  and 
it  was  well-nigh  a  minute  before  they'd  all  done 
chiming.  To  make  sure  of  my  defence  I  drew  my 
revolver  from  my  pocket  and  examined  the  chambers ; 
they  were  all  charged.  Then,  signing  my  intentions  to 
Veneda,  I  placed  my  fingers  round  the  sleeping  man's 
throat  and  shook  him  back  to  consciousness.  I  must 
leave  you  to  imagine  his  astonishment  when  he  woke. 

As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  understand  matters,  Veneda 
explained  in  Malay  that  we  wanted  the  loan  of  his  boat 
for  a  day  or  two,  and  that  it  behoved  him  to  go  ashore 
quietly  and  peaceably,  or  he'd  get  into  trouble.  But 
a  brilliant  thought  had  struck  me.  The  craft  was  too 
big  for  one  man  to  manage,  so,  since  Veneda  was  unable 
to  assist,  why  shouldn't  we  take  the  man  as  well  as  his 
property  ?  Besides  husbanding  our  strength,  this  would 
'prevent  the  authorities  from  obtaining  any  clue  as  to 
the  manner  of  our  departure  from  the  island. 

I  explained  my  idea  to  Veneda,  who  fell  in  with  the 
notion  at  once.  It  was  a  case  of  Hobson's  choice  for 
the  nigger ;  he  had  no  option  but  to  submit.  Giving 
Veneda  the  tiller,  such  as  it  was,  I  escorted  the  owner 
forrard,  and  assisted  him  to  get  sail  on  her.  Then, 
casting  off,  we  began  to  task  slowly  down  the  harbour, 


GAOL-BREAKING    EXTRAORDINARY.  289 

past  the  Singapore  mail-boat,  the  Dutch  gun-boat, 
and  astern  of  the  big  mud-dredger,  out  into  the  open 
sea.  Fortunately  the  wind  was  in  our  favour,  and 
though  the  boat  was  not  built  on  the  latest  yachting 
lines,  yet  it  was  astonishing  what  pace  it  was  possible 
to  get  out  of  her.  What  most  puzzled  me  was  the 
course  we  ought  to  steer,  for  I  hadn't  the  remotest 
acquaintance  with  these  waters.  I  put  the  question  to 
Veneda,  who  called  the  man  aft  and  sounded  him  on 
the  subject.  A  long  jabbering  ensued. 

"  He  says  it  would  be  best  for  us  to  make  further 
down  the  coast ;  but  I  don't  cotton  to  that  notion  at  any 
price." 

"  What  do  you  think  then  ?  " 

"Why,  my  idea  is,  one  of  the  small  islands  off 
Sumatra.  They're  right  in  the  way  of  ships.  Then 
we'll  get  rid  of  this  fellow  and  his  boat,  and  wait  our 
chance  to  be  picked  up  and  carried  on  to  Singapore  or 
Colombo,  as  the  case  may  be." 

"  Very  well,"  I  said,  "  we'll  just  let  her  run  her  present 
course  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  at  the  same  time  keep 
our  eyes  open  for  an  island  that  will  suit  us.* 

Fortunately  the  boat  was  well  provisioned,  even  to 
the  extent  of  a  small  supply  of  arrack,  or  native  spirit, 
which  came  in  handy  for  Veneda,  so  we  were  not 
likely  to  want  for  food  for  some  time  to  come. 

As  soon  as  we  were  clear  of  the  land,  I  took  my 
place  by  my  poor  friend's  side,  and  endeavoured  to 
discover  in  what  way  he  had  hurt  himself.  Save,  how- 
ever, for  a  few  large  bruises,  and  a  cut  or  two,  ther« 


240  IN   STUA^GE    COMPANY. 

was  nothing  to  indicate  the  nature  of  hia  injuries, 
Advising  him  to  try  and  obtain  some  sleep,  which  I 
felt  sure  would  have  a  better  effect  than  anything  I 
could  do  for  him,  I  took  the  tiller  and  prepared  to 
stand  the  first  watch.  The  Malay  sulked  forward, 
looking  as  if  he'd  like  to  stick  his  crease  into  the  pair 
of  us,  which  under  the  circumstances  perhaps  was  not 
to  be  wondered  at. 

By  this  time  it  was  hard  upon  sunrise,  and  such  a 
sunrise  too !  The  first  sign  that  came  to  us  was  the 
paling  of  the  larger  stars  in  the  east ;  this  was  followed 
by  a  long  thin  streak  of  silver-grey,  just  balanced  on 
the  edge  of  the  horizon.  As,  bit  by  bit,  this  grey  died 
out,  its  place  was  taken  by  a  faint  tint  of  salmon-pink, 
which  in  its  turn  again  surrendered  to  all  manner  of 
other  colours  as  the  darkness  drew  off  the  remainder 
of  the  sky.  Even  the  sea  participated  in  the  general 
glory.  A  wonderful  hush  overspread  everything,  and 
to  me  it  seemed  that  an  intense  melancholy  had  assumed 
possession  of  the  world.  Like  the  man  in  the  Ancient 
Mariner ,  we  might  have  been  the  "  first  who  had  ever 
burst  into  that  silent  sea."  The  very  ripple  of  the 
water  under  our  squat  bows,  and  the  creaking  of  the 
boat's  timbers,  were  subdued  into  harmony  with  the 
general  effect.  Gradually  long  shafts  of  light  pierced 
the  eastern  heavens.  Then,  with  almost  startling  sud- 
denness, the  sun  leaped  above  the  horizon,  and  the  sen 
resumed  its  natural  hue;  as  if  by  magic,  the  colon r- 
faded  out  of  the  sky,  and  day  was  born  to  us. 

About  seven  o'clock  Veneda  woke,  much  refresju<? 


GAOL-BREAKING    EXTRAORDINARY.  241 

by  his  sleep.  Calling  the  Malay  aft  I  gave  him  the 
helm,  getting  Veneda  to  instruct  him  as  to  the  course 
I  wanted  steered.  This  done,  I  went  forrard  to  prepare 
some  rice  for  breakfast.  Though  he  never  allowed  a 
sign  of  it  to  escape  him,  I  knew  Veneda's  sufferings 
must  be  intense.  As  far  as  I  could  see  I  was  powerless 
to  alleviate  them ;  and  whenever  I  asked  him  how  he 
felt,  he  only  laughed  grimly,  and  said — 

"  Get  me  to  an  island,  that's  all  I  want,  get  ine  to  an 
island  1" 

All  that  day  we  sailed  on  and  on.  About  midday 
the  wind  dropped,  and  the  boat's  progress  was  con- 
sequently very  slow.  It  was  monotonous  work,  but,  as 
we  both  agreed,  it  was  better  than  prison  in  Batavia. 
Towards  evening  the  coast  of  Sumatra  was  just  dis- 
tinguishable, and  this  we  followed  up  in  the  hope, 
before  dark,  of  hitting  an  island  that  would  suit  us. 
We  sighted  several,  but  for  some  reason  Veneda  found 
an  objection  for  them  all.  At  last,  just  as  I  was 
beginning  to  think  we  should  have  to  pass  the  night  at 
sea,  we  came  abreast  of  one  of  which  he  expressed  his 
approval.  It  was  very  small,  not  more  than  a  mile  in 
length,  but  thickly  timbered,  and  with  a  broad  strip  of 
sand  running  all  round  it. 

Having  decided  on  the  best  spot  to  land,  I  steered 
the  boat  in*,  and  after  a  bit  of  manosuvring,  beached  her  on 
a  good  sandy  bottom  towards  the  most  northerly  point. 
The  first  business  was  to  discover  if  the  island  contained 
fresh  water.  And  here  arose  a  difficulty.  I  could  not 
take  Veneda  ashore  with  me,  and  I  dared  not  go  myself 


242  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

and  leave  him  at  the  mercy  of  the  Malay.  He  divined 
what  was  passing  in  my  mind,  and  solved  the  problem 
with  his  usual  quickness. 

"  Give  me  your  revolver,  and  prop  me  up  here.  Til 
watch  him  till  you  come  back,  never  fear." 

I  did  as  he  desired  me,  and  then  bidding  him  "good- 
bye," clambered  over  the  side  and  waded  ashore. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  ISLAND. 

A  S  I  splashed  my  way  ashore,  I  could  not  help  a 
^  feeling  of  wonderment  as  to  whether  the  whole 
circumstances  preceding  and  attending  our  arrival  at 
the  island  were  not  part  of  some  horrible  dream,  from 
which  I  should  presently  awaken.  In  fact,  my  whole 
existence,  from  the  day  I  left  the  Beretania  at  Port 
Adelaide  up  to  the  moment  of  my  setting  foot  upon 
these  sands,  appeared  almost  too  strange  to  be  possible. 
With  the  dwelling  of  my  mind  upon  the  subject,  all 
the  events  which  had  accompanied  my  chequered  career 
rose  before  me  like  sheeted  phantoms  of  a  dead  past- 
They  embraced  even  my  monotonous  employment  in 
the  ship-chandler's  office,  my  experience  on  the  gold- 
fields,  and  my  starvation  and  illness  at  Broken  Hill; 
took  in  my  life  as  a  fireman,  as  a  station  store-keeper, 
as  cook  on  a  cattle  camp,  as  a  loafer  in  Brisbane,  and  a 
pearler  in  Torres  Straits ;  included  my  love  for  Juanita, 
my  introduction  to  the  Albino,  our  voyage  to  the  island, 
the  hoax,  my  betrayal  in  Batavia,  and  my  meeting 
with  and  participation  in  the  escape  of  Veneda;  his 


244  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

accident,  and  finally  our  arrival  at  the  place  where  I 
now  stood. 

I  must  risk  the  charge  of  being  called  a  Fatalist* 
when  I  affirm  that  I  honestly  believe  that  everything 
in  our  lives,  down  to  the  most  trifling  circurnstan.ee,  is 
mapped  out  for  us  beforehand  by  an  all-wise  Providence 
to  bring  about  a  certain  pre-arranged  result.  If  this  is 
not  so,  why  did  I  give  up  the  sea  ? — why  was  I  allowed  to 
meet  Juanita  and  the  Albino  ? — and  why  was  I  brought 
to  Batavia  ?  Could  it  have  been  only  chance  that  led 
me  to  rescue  Veneda,  and  by  so  doing  to  work  out  my 
own  ultimate — but  there  you  must  let  me  cry  a  halt ; 
to  go  into  it  any  further  would  be  to  anticipate  the 
strange  things  I  have  yet  to  tell  you. 

Having  reached  the  shore,  I  looked  about  me  for  the 
best  point  at  which  to  strike  into  the  undergrowth, 
for,  as  I  have  said,  the  island  was  densely  covered  from 
end  to  end  with  vegetation.  A  spot  decided  on,  I  threw 
a  glance  towards  the  boat,  and  plunged  into  the  thicket. 

From  the  beach  the  land  rose  abruptly  till  it  reached 
a  sandy  plateau,  something  less  than  a  hundred  yards 
long.  Round  this  on  every  side  trees  and  shrubs  throve 
luyuriantly,  not  only  protecting  it  from  the  violence  of 
the  sea-breeze,  but  lending  to  it  a  picturesqueness  that 
was  like  a  glimpse  of  fairyland.  What  was  more  to  my 
taste,  however,  I  discovered  at  the  further  end  a  stream 
of  purest  water,  bubbling  its  tiny  torrent  through  the 
thicket  down  to  the  sea  below,  and  here  I  determined 
to  pitch  our  camp,  if  only  I  could  manage  to  convey 
Veneda  up  to  it. 


THE   ISLAND.  245 

Above  the  plateau  rose  another  slight  elevation,  from 
fche  summit  of  which  a  splendid  view  of  the  sea  might 
be  obtained.  Before  returning  to  the  boat  I  climbed 
to  it,  and  searched  the  offing  for  a  sail,  but  not  a  sign 
of  such  a  thing  was  to  be  seen.  The  sun  by  this  time 
was  nearly  down,  so  bestowing  a  hasty  glance  upon  the 
other  side  of  the  island,  I  hastened  back  to  the  shoie 
to  fetch  Veneda.  Though  I  did  not  anticipate  any 
danger,  it  was  with  a  feeling  of  relief  that  I  espied  the 
boat  lying  just  as  I  had  left  her,  the  Malay  still  seated 
forward,  and  my  poor  friend  propped  up  in  the  shelter 
astern. 

Very  well  satisfied  with  the  success  of  my  visit  of 
inspection,  I  splashed  out  to  his  side  and  informed  him 
of  the  result.  But  when  I  offered  to  carry  him  up  to 
the  plateau,  he  was  quick  to  point  out  the  difficulties 
of  the  climb,  and  to  suggest  a  far  safer  and  more  com  - 
fortable  means  of  transit. 

Once  more  I  waded  ashore,  this  time  to  return  with 
two  stout  saplings,  to  which  I  fastened  a  strong  piece 
of  sail-cloth,  thus  making  a  rude  but  comfortable  litter. 

At  Veneda's  command  the  Malay  jumped  overboard, 
and  placed  himself  between  the  poles  at  the  further 
end,  leaving  the  after  part  resting  on  the  gunwale  of 
the  boat.  Raising  the  sick  man  carefully  in  my  arms, 
I  placed  him  on  it,  and  then  Liking  the  other  end 
myself,  we  were  presently  bearing  him  triumphantly 
ashore. 

After  pausing  for  a  moment  on  the  beach  to  recover 
our  breath,  we  started  on  agvn  through  the  thicket 


246  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

and  across  the  stream,  up  to  the  spot  I  had  marked  out 
for  our  camping-place.  There,  under  the  shadow  of 
a  large  rock,  we  set  him  down,  and  I  returned  with  the 
Malay  to  secure  some  necessaries  from  the  boat. 

Ere  this  work  was  accomplished  the  sun  had  dis- 
appeared, and  it  was  time  for  our  evening  meal.  Our 
fare  was  necessarily  simple,  consisting  of  boiled  rice  and 
a  small  portion  of  dried  fish ;  but  while  I  partook  of 
it  greedily,  Veneda  could  not  be  induced  to  touch  a 
particle. 

In  truth,  I  was  beginning  to  be  more  and  more 
alarmed  about  him,  for  instead  of  improving,  his  con- 
dition was  growing  perceptibly  worse.  His  face,  always 
thin,  was  now  pinched  and  contracted  almost  out  of 
recognition;  only  his  great  eyes  burned  like  live  coals 
in  his  head.  His  fortitude  was  marvellous.  In  place 
of  the  hasty,  ill-tempered  man  Juanita  had  always 
described  him  to  be,  I  found  him  patient,  long-suffering, 
and  even  hopeful  to  an  extraordinary  degree.  It 
was  a  piteous  sight  to  see  one  hitherto  so  strong 
lying  like  a  log,  unable  even  to  turn  himself  without 
assistance. 

As  soon  as  our  meal  was  eaten  I  set  to  work  to  con- 
struct a  rough  sort  of  shelter  for  him  with  saplings  and 
branches  of  trees,  pressing  the  Malay  into  my  service. 
When  it  was  completed  it  was  not  much  to  look  at,  but 
it  answered  my  purpose  very  well.  The  Malay  then 
left  us  to  return  to  his  boat,  a  pj  oceeding  for  which  I 
was  not  sorry,  having  no  desire  for  his  company  on 
that  lonely  spot  all  night 


THE    ISLAND.  247 

You  will  notice  that  I  had  q  lite  constituted  myself 
Veueda's  protector.  And  what  a  strange  and  wonderful 
thing  it  is,  that  responsibility  of  protection  1  Take  for 
instance  the  man  who  is  playing  a  lone  hand  in  the 
Game  of  Life.  When  he  has  only  his  own  safety  to 
consider  he  is  careless  of  danger  to  an  extraordinary 
degree ;  on  the  other  hand,  give  him  but  the  slightest 
control  over,  or  the  right  to  protect  any  one  weaker 
than  himself,  and  he  begins  at  once  to  discover  all  sorts 
of  dangers  in  the  very  things  which  hitherto  he  has 
most  vehemently  despised.  It  is  the  same  feeling  which 
makes  the  strong  man  tremble  when,  in  the  first  flush 
of  his  golden  love-dream,  he  catches  the  ominous  word 
infection,  and  remembers  that  even  his  great  love  is 
insufficient  to  protect  his  dear  one  from  the  insidious 
inroads  of  disease. 

After  the  sun  had  been  down  about  an  hour  the 
moon  rose  like  a  ball  of  gold  above  the  farthest  point 
of  the  island,  revealing  the  waste  of  sea,  the  coral  sands, 
the  tree-tops  just  rocking  in  the  evening  breeze,  and 
the  dim  stretch  of  land  on  either  side  of  us.  The  soft 
ripple  of  the  wavelets  on  the  shore  sounded  like  faintest 
music  in  the  intense  stillness,  and  the  crooning  of  some 
belated  sea-bird  came  like  a  cry  across  the  waters.  Our 
fire  burnt  merrily,  and  when  we  had  sat  for  some  time 
gazing  into  it,  occupied  with  our  own  thoughts,  which 
I  can  promise  you  were  none  of  the  happiest,  Veneda 
said  he  should  like  to  tell  me  his  history. 

Thinking  it  might  distract  his  thoughts  from  his 
unhappy  position,  I  professed  myself  delighted  to  listen, 


248  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

and  giving  the  fire  a  final  armful  of  fuel,  stretched 
myself  beside  him. 

It  was  then  that  I  learnt  the  queer  story  which  m) 
Cousin  Luke  has  told  you  in  the  first  part  of  this  book, 
only  saving  the  fact  that  Veneda  made  no  mention  of 
the  amount  of  his  treasure,  in  what  manner  he  had 
obtained  it,  where  it  was  hidden  away,  or  how  another 
person  might  procure  it.  Even  in  the  hour  of  his 
extremity  his  habitual  caution  did  not  desert  him ;  and 
though  he  must  have  known  himself  to  be  little  better 
than  a  dead  man,  he  was  not  going  to  share  his  secret 
with  any  one  else  until  convinced  that  it  was  impossible 
for  him  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  it  himself. 

Another  strange  point  about  this  remarkable  man 
was  the  affection  he  displayed  for  small  matters  con- 
nected with  his  boyhood.  He  would  linger  with  the 
fondest  remembrances  on  the  most  insignificant  trifles. 
For  instance,  on  a  certain  tiny  trout  stream  in  which 
he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  fishing;  on  the  different 
names  scratched  upon  the  pews  in  his  school  chapel ; 
on  the  various  natures  of  his  boyish  pets,  and  particu- 
larly on  the  vagaries  of  a  certain  one-eyed  fox  terrier, 
for  whom  he  seemed  to  have  cherished  a  singular 
regard.  I  have  often  noticed  this  peculiarity  in  men 
of  his  stamp,  but  never  before  in  such  a  marked  degree. 

While  his  mind  was  recalling  these  ancient  recol- 
lections his  face  wore  an  expression  of  unaccustomed 
gentleness  but  a  moment  or  two  later,  when  the  name 
of  the  Albino  happened  to  occur,  the  look  that  accom- 
panied the  utterance  of  it  was  almost  diabolical  in  iti 


THE   ISLAND.  249 

malignity.  Wrecked  though  he  was,  it  would  have 
been  an  ill  moment  for  the  dwarf  had  he  ventured 
within  the  reach  of  those  muscular  brown  hands. 

One  subject  I  was  surprised  to  hear  him  touch  upon, 
and  that  was  his  dismissal  from  the  service  of  a  London 
bank  on  a  suspicion  of  forgery.  This  charge  he  con- 
tended, with  considerable  earnestness,  was  altogether 
false.  He  was  innocent ;  some  one  else  had  committed 
the  crime,  and  had  saddled  it  upon  him,  convinced  that 
his  reckless  conduct,  bad  reputation,  and  proverbial 
want  of  money  would  supply  sufficient  motives  for  the 
deed. 

"  Ramsay,"  he  asserted  vigorously,  "  it  was  just  that 
false  accusation  which  sent  me  to  the  devil.  I  was 
on  the  brink  before,  but  that  fairly  toppled  me  over. 
And,  as  God  is  my  witness,  whatever  sins  I  have  com- 
mitted since  that  time  must  be  laid  to  the  charge  of 
that  real  thief,  whoever  he  may  have  been/1 

"  How  did  you  manage  to  get  out  of  it  ? *  I 
asked. 

"  Simply  because  my  uncle,  Sir  Benjamin  Plowden — 
a  pious,  New  Jerusalem  patriarch  of  East  India  Avenue 
— not  caring  to  have  the  family  name  figuring  in  the 
police  reports,  took  the  matter  in  hand,  and  used  his 
influence  to  square  it." 

"  Sir  Benjamin  Plowden  ! "  1  gasped.  "  You  don't 
mean  to  tell  me  Sir  Benjamin  is  your  uncle  ?  " 

"  He  was  my  father's  brother.  My  real  name  is 
Plowden.  But,  good  gracious,  man,  you  don't  surely 
know  him  ?  " 


-50  IN   STRANGE    COMPANY. 

'  Know  him !     Why,  I  should  rather  think  I  do 
Wasn't  I  in  his  office  for  years  ?    And  wasn't  I  engaged 
to  his  daughter  Maud  until  I  was  blackguard  enough 
to  think  her  false  to  me  ?  " 

Veneda  was  silent.  After  a  while  he  suid,  as  I 
thought,  rather  sadly — 

"  What  a  rat-trap  of  a  world  it  is,  after  all !  Ramsay, 
this  is  too  much  of  a  coincidence ;  there's  fatality  in  it. 
Fate  must  have  willed  that  we  should  meet !  .  .  .  And 
so  you  were  engaged  to  little  Maud  1  By  Jove !  how 
well  I  remember  her — a  tiny  slip  of  a  thing  in  a  white 
frock,  tied  up  with  blue  ribbons.  She  came  into  her 
father's  study  one  day  when  I  was  waiting  for  him,  pre- 
tended she  came  for  a  book,  but  I  believe  myself  it  was 
just  to  steal  a  look  at  wicked  Cousin  Marmaduke,  whom 
the  women-folk  had  piously  permitted  to  figure  in  her 
mind  as  a  sort  of  cross  between  Giant  Blunderbore  and 
the  devil.  Perhaps  Cousin  Satan  was  not  quite  so  ugly 
as  she  had  expected  him  to  be,  for  when  Sir  Benjamin 
entered  later,  he  found  us  seated  side  by  side  on  the 
hearthrug,  making  paper  boats.  I  can  see  his  face 
now  !  And  so  —  she's  a  grown  woman  !  —  and  I — 
well,  I'm  just  a  derelict  on  the  ocean  of  life,  useless 
to  myself,  and  harmful  to  my  fellow-men.  But  there, 
I  can't  complain ;  I've  made  my  bed,  and  I  suppose  I 
must  lie  on  it  Ramsay,  shall  I  tell  you  what  I  was 
going  to  do  if  I  had  reached  home  ? " 

"What?" 

"  I  should  have  been  a  rich  man,  remember.  And  1 
had  figured  it  that  I  would  purchase  an  estate  in  a 


THE   ISLAND.  251 

county  where  nobody  would  know  my  past,  marry 
some  nice  quiet  English  girl,  and  settle  down  to  bring 
up  my  children,  if  I  had  any,  to  be  as  honest  as  tLeir 
father  was  crooked,  to  do  good  to  my  neighbours,  and 
when  I  went  down  to  my  grave,  to  have  lived  so  that 
somebody  should  be  able  to  say,  '  There's  an  English 
gentleman  gone  to  his  rest ! '  An  English  gentleman, 
mark  you,  and  there's  no  prouder  title  under  the  sun 
than  that.  As  it  is,  I  shall  peg  out  here,  cut  off  from 
all  who  knew  me,  and — as  somebody  has  it — going  into 
my  grave  '  unwept,  unhonoured,  and  unsung  I '  A  grand 
end,  isn't  it  ?  " 

Not  knowing  how  to  comfort  him,  I  held  my  tongue. 
He  continued — 

"Somehow  I've  been  an  outcast  all  my  life,  and  I 
shall  certainly  die  one.  After  my  first  slip  I  was  never 
given  a  chance,  but  was  badgered  from  pillar  to  post, 
until  I  was  driven  out  of  England,  the  victim  of  what 
we  may  call  uncivilized  Christianity.  It  was  rough  on 
me,  deuced  rough." 

After  this  our  conversation  dropped  off  bit  by  bit, 
till  it  ceased  altogether.  I  made  him  as  comfortable  as 
I  could,  and  then  sought  my  own  couch  on  the  other 
side  of  the  fire.  Hours  passed  before  sleep  came  to  me, 
my  brain  was  full  of  the  thoughts  his  words  had  conjured 
up.  Strangely  enough,  it  was  not  of  Juanita  I  had 
thought  within  the  last  few  days.  She  seemed  almost 
to  have  passed  out  of  my  life.  It  was  on  another  and  a 
purer  love  I  pondered.  "  Oh,  Maud,  Maud,  my  own  lost 
love/'  I  moaned,  "  if  only  I  could  live  those  fatal  days 


252  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

again  I  *     But  it  was  impossible.     Like  Dryden,  I  must 
cry  henceforth — 

"  Not  heaven  itself  upon  the  past  has  power ; 
But  what  has  been,  has  been,  and  I  have  had  my  hour. 

Next  morning  I  discovered  that  Veneda  had  not 
slept  at  all  It  needed  but  little  medical  knowledge  to 
tell  that  his  condition  was  worse  than  on  the  previous 
night.  His  face  was  fast  losing  even  the  faint  colour 
it  had  hitherto  possessed.  His  forehead  was  covered 
with  a  clammy  sweat,  and  at  times  he  moaned  softly 
and  wandered  in  his  talk.  I  was  more  distressed  about 
him  than  I  can  say.  But  what  could  I  do  ?  To  carry 
him  elsewhere  in  search  of  help  would  have  been 
useless,  had  it  even  been  possible ;  besides,  it  would 
only  have  hastened  his  death  to  have  moved  him.  In 
addition  to  this,  I  found  the  Malay  had  taken  advantage 
of  the  opportunity  to  clear  out,  and  his  boat  was  already 
a  dim  speck  upon  the  horizon.  There  was  nothing  for 
it  but  to  make  Veneda  as  comfortable  as  I  could,  and 
to  patiently  await  the  end. 

In  his  moments  of  consciousness  I  think  he  must 
have  been  aware  that  he  had  not  much  longer  to  live ; 
indeed,  he  hinted  as  much  to  me  when  I  asked  if  I 
could  do  anything  to  relieve  his  pain.  His  patience 
was  marvellous.  He  uttered  no  sign  of  complaint,  but 
met  his  fate  with  a  fortitude  that  was  inexpressibly 
touching. 

Towards  the  middle  of  the  morning  I  struggled  up 
the  hill  to  scour  the  offing  for  a  sail.  But  no  sign  of  a 
ship  was  to  be  seen,  only  the  blue  expanse  of  water. 


THE  ISLAND.  353 

other  islands  peeping  up  to  right  and  left  of  us,  and 
the  dim  outline  of  the  Sumatra  coast  away  to  the 
westward.  Round  my  head  white  sea-gulls  wheeled 
with  discordant  cries,  while  from  the  farther  side  of 
the  island  the  boom  of  surf  sounded  like  mimic  thun- 
der. What  would  I  not  have  given  for  a  sail,  or  any- 
thing that  could  have  brought  relief  to  my  dying 
companion !  But  it  was  no  use  wishing,  so  as  soon  as 
I  had  satisfied  myself  that  no  assistance  was  forth- 
coming, I  descended  to  the  plateau  and  anxiously  ap- 
proached Veueda. 

I  found  him  in  an  excited  condition,  his  face 
flushed  and  his  eyes  brighter  than  when  I  had  left 
him  half  an  hour  before.  He  was  talking  in  the  wild- 
est fashion,  and  at  the  same  time  endeavoring  to  raies 
himself  from  the  ground. 

Hastening  to  his  side,  I  tried  by  every  means  in 
my  power  to  soothe  him,  but  it  was  useless.  He  im- 
agined himself  back  in  Chili,  and  for  some  time  his 
utterances  were  in  the  Spanish  tongue.  ,  For  nearly 
two  hours  he  remained  in  this  state,  eventually  falling 
into  a  heavy  sleep  which  lasted  until  about  three 
o'clock.  When  he  awoke  his  delirium  had  left  him, 
but  he  was  much  weaker;  his  voice,  when  he  tried  to 
speak,  was  hardly  louder  than  a  whisper.  I  could  see 
that  the  end  was  only  a  matter  of  a  short  time  now. 

"  Ramsay,"  he  managed  to  say,  "I  know  all  about 
it;  I'm  down  and  done  for.  It  seems  like  a  joke,  old 
man,  but  Marcos  Veueda's  played  out." 

As  he  mentioned  his  assumed  name  a  faint  but 
bitter  smile  flickered  across  his  face.  I  knelt  by  his 


254  IN    STRAKGE    COMPANY. 

side,  and,  thinking  it  might  afford  him  relief,  raised  his 
head,  but  he  bade  me  let  it  lie. 

"  I  shan't  be  able  to  talk  much  longer,"  he  said,  and 
his  voice  was  even  weaker  than  before.  "Feel  round 
my  neck ;  you'll  find  a  locket  there — the  famous  locket 
—take  it  off." 

I  did  so,  placing  it  in  his  hand. 

"  You've  been  very  good  to  me,  Ramsay,  one  of  the 
only  men  in  the  world  who  ever  was,  and  in  return  I 
want  to  do  something  for  you.  Take  this  locket,  it's 
all  I  have  to  leave  you,  but,  as  the  others  knew,  it's 
the  key  to  my  fortune.  It  will  make  you  a  rich  man." 

He  paused  to  regain  his  strength. 

"  As  soon  as  you  get  away  from  here  work  your  way 
home  to  London.  And  when  you  have  been  there  a 
month — swear  you  will  not  do  so  before,  I  have  the  best 
of  reasons  for  asking  it — open  it." 

I  swore  that  I  would  respect  his  wishes,  and  he 
continued — 

"  You  will  find  in  the  locket  a  small  slip  of  paper 
on  which  is  written  a  name  and  address.  Go  to  the 
address,  show  the  paper  just  as  you  have  it  there,  and 
demand  from  the  man  Two  Hundred  Thousand  Pounds. 
When  he  sees  that  slip  of  paper  in  your  possession  he 
will  pay  it  without  demur.  And  may  you  be  as  happy 
with  the  money  as  I  intended  to  be.  Above  all  thiuga 
steer  clear  of  John  Macklin,  for  if  he  dreams  that  you 
have  the  locket  he'll  stick  at  nothing  to  get  it  from 

you." 

"  But  is  there  nothing  I  can  do  for  you  ? w  I  askecj, 


THE   ISLAND.  255 

thinking  he  might  like  to  send  some  message  to  the 
old  land  he  appeared  to  love  so  well. 

He  only  shook  his  head  sadly,  intimating  that  there 
was  no  one  there  who  would  be  either  glad  or  sorry  for 
his  death. 

After  this  for  a  long  while  he  remained  silent,  till  1 
began  to  think  that  perhaps  the  end  had  come.  At 
last,  without  opening  his  eyes,  he  said  slowly — 

"  Little  Maud — she  was  the  only  one  of  that  set  who 
ever  trusted  me.  Somehow  I'd  like  her  to  have  a 
share  of  that  money.  Ramsay,  I  know  you  love  her 
still;  you  must  marry  her  after  all." 

"  It's  too  late,"  I  groaned  ;  "  too  late." 

"No,  no,  I  have  a  conviction  that  you  will  win  her 
yet  Try  Swear  you  will  1 " 

I  swore  I 

For  a  minute  or  two  only  the  sighing  of  the  wind 
through  the  trees  and  the  crackling  of  the  fire  was  to  be 
heard.  Then  that  weary  voice  began  again — 

"  Ramsay,  it's  a  strange  request  for  a  man  like  me  to 
make,  but  d'you  know,  if  you  could  manage  to  scramble 
out  some  sort  of  a  prayer  I  believe  I  should  die 
easier." 

Like  a  flash  my  memory  flew  back  across  the  waste 
of  years,  and  once  more  I  was  a  tiny  chap  worshipping 
at  my  mother's  knee.  With  a  great  awe  upon  me  I 
knelt  and  commenced  the  Lord's  Prayer.  When  I  had 
finished  he  slowly  repeated  the  last  few  words,  "Foi 
ever  and  ever,  Amen." 

Then  a  wonderful   thing  happened.     He  raised  his 


256  IN    STKANGK 

head,  and,  as  he  did  so,  his  eyes,  which  had  hitherto 
been  shut,  opened  wide,  and  his  voice  came  from 
him  quite  clear  and  strong.  It  was  a  grander  and 
a  nobler  voice  than  I  had  ever  expected  to  hear.  He 
said — 

"My  Lord,  I  urge  nothing  in  my  own  defence;  1 
simply  throw  myself  upon  the  mercy  of  the  Court." 

Then  with  a  little  sigh  his  head  fell  back  again. 
Marcos  Vep$da  was  dead  I 


CHAPTER  IV 

.RESCUED. 

T  ONG  after  Veneda's  speech  I  remained  kneeling  by 
•H  his  side  in  earnest  prayer,  but  when  his  laboured 
breathing  ceased  altogether,  and  I  looked  up  to  find  his 
jaw  dropped  and  his  great  eyes  fixed  in  a  horrible 
stare,  I  knew  that  all  was  over,  and  prepared  to  perform 
the  last  sad  offices. 

These  accomplished,  his  expression  changed  com- 
pletely. Up  to  the  moment  of  his  death  a  haggard, 
weary  look  had  possessed  his  features,  but  now  his  face 
was  like  that  of  a  little  child  for  innocence  and  peace. 
I  stood  looking  down  on  him  for  some  minutes,  my 
mind  surging  with  a  variety  of  thoughts.  Then, 
picking  up  my  cap,  I  strode  hastily  from  the  plateau 
towards  the  interior  of  the  island,  in  the  hope  of 
diverting  my  thoughts  from  the  scene  I  had  just 
witnessed,  and  from  the  contemplation  of  my  own  awful 
loneliness. 

Swiftly  I  marched  along ;  the  bright  sunshine  strag- 
gled amid  the  trees  and  lit  up  the  glades  through 
which  I  passed,  but  beyond  being  aware  of  these 


258  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY* 

things  I  had  little  attention  for  them.  I  could  not 
ii  vest  myself  of  the  horror  of  my  position.  Here  was  I, 
I  told  myself,  the  sole  living  being  upon  this  island  ;  my 
companion  a  dead  and  unburied  man ;  my  prospect  of 
rescue  as  remote  as  ever,  and  my  food  supply  limited 
to  a  few  more  meals.  Indeed,  so  horrible  was  my  con- 
dition that  consideration  of  it  inclined  me  even  to  wish 
myself  back  in  prison  in  Batavia. 

In  this  state  I  passed  out  from  the  woods  on  to  the 
shore.  The  tide  was  far  out,  and  an  expanse  of  sand 
stretched  before  me.  Thinking  brisk  exercise  might 
raise  my  spirits  I  set  off  to  walk  as  quickly  as  I  could 
round  the  island.  But  it  was  only  putting  off  the 
unpleasant  work,  for  I  could  not  allow  day  to  depart 
and  leave  me  with  the  body  still  unburied. 

My  prison,  I  discovered,  was  not  as  large  as  I  had 
thought  it,  being  considerably  less  than  a  mile  long. 
My  first  view  had  evidently  been  a  deceptive  one,  and  I 
must  have  allowed  more  for  the  fall  of  the  hill  than  was 
justifiable,  considering  that  I  had  not  seen  the  end  of  it. 

In  the  hope  that  I  might  discover  some  sort  of  shell- 
fish with  which  to  sustain  life  when  my  meagre  supply 
of  rice  should  be  exhausted,  I  walked  close  to  the 
water's  edge,  but  not  a  trace  of  anything  fit  to  eat 
could  I  find.  This  knowledge  added  considerably  to 
my  uneasiness. 

While  engaged  in  my  search,  I  espied,  bobbing  up 
and  down  in  the  water  not  far  from  the  shore,  some- 
thing that  looked  suspiciously  like  a  bottle  with  the 
•ork  in.  My  curiosity  was  instant1  v  aroused.  Who 


KESCUED.  259 

knew  but  that  it  might  contain  the  last  message  of  a 
shipwrecked  crew,  thro  wo  overboard  in  the  hope  of 
carrying  to  the  world  information  of  their  unhappy 
fate.  If  this  were  so,  into  what  weak  hands  had  it 
fallen  I 

My  mind  made  up  to  gain  possession  of  it,  it  was  the 
work  of  a  moment  to  wade  towards  it.  I  found  it  to 
be  a  Bass'  beer-bottle,  and  on  holding  it  up  to  the  light, 
I  could  see  that  it  contained  a  sheet  of  paper.  The 
mouth  was  firmly  corked,  and  to  render  it  additionally 
secure,  the  latter  was  not  only  tied  down  but  carefully 
sealed.  Bearing  it  asliore,  I  threw  myself  on  the  warm 
sands  and  prepared  to  broach  its  contents. 

I  discovered  the  cork  to  be  fastened  with  copper 
wire,  while  the  wax  used  was  of  a  quality  more  generally 
employed  by  ladies  on  their  lillets-doux  than  by  men 
before  the  mast.  Cracking  the  bottle  with  a  stone  I 
extracted  the  paper  and  spread  it  carefully  out. 

It  was  a  full  sheet  of  cream-laid,  folded  longways  into 
a  narrow  strip  to  go  through  the  bottle's  neck.  Owing 
to  this  precaution  it  was  quite  dry.  The  following  is 
an  exact  transcript  of  what  I  read — 

S.S.  Cambermine, 
"  Three  days'  tteamfrom  Nagasaki. 

"  To  all  whom  it  may  concern, 

"  This  is  to  certify  that  we,  the  undersigned, 
being  on  our  honeymoon,  are  the  two  happiest  people 
on  the  face  of  this  globe,  and  don't  you  forget  it  I 

"REGINALD  AND  MAY." 


360  EN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

A  sillier  and,  under  the  circu  instances,  crueller  hoax 
it  would  have  been  impossible  to  conceive.  And  yet  to 
my  mind  there  was  something  terribly  pathetic  about 
that  tiny  message,  tossed  about  by  many  seas,  buffeted 
by  storms,  carried  hither  and  thither  by  various  cur- 
rents, its  ultimate  fate  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  perhaps 
the  most  miserable  being  on  the  whole  face  of  that 
world  so  flippantly  referred  to  by  the  writers.  Shutting 
my  eyes  I  could  conjure  up  the  scene — the  promenade 
deck  of  the  steamer — the  happy  couple  busily  engaged 
upon  the  preparation  of  the  message — the  toss  over- 
board, and  finally,  the  bottle  bobbing  up  and  down  a 
mute  farewell  among  the  waves.  Big  man  as  I  was, 
when  I  pictured  the  happiness  to  which  the  note 
referred,  and  compared  it  with  my  own  position,  the 
tears  rose  into  my  eyes,  and  surely  if  it  served  no  other 
purpose,  the  message  had  done  one  good  work  in 
diverting  for  a  time  the  current  of  my  miserable 
thoughts. 

For  some  vague  reason,  I  could  not  tell  what, — per- 
haps that  I  might  have  in  my  possession  something 
which  was  the  outcome  of  a  fellow-creature's  happiness, 
or,  maybe,  because  it  was  a  last  feeble  link  with  the 
outside  world, — I  resolved  not  to  tear  up  the  paper,  but 
to  keep  it  as  a  talisman  about  me.  When  I  had  put 
it  carefully  away  I  resumed  my  walk,  and  half-an-hour 
later  had  completed  my  circuit  of  the  island,  and  was 
back  again  on  the  sands  opposite  the  plateau. 

By  this  time  my  mind  was  made  up,  and  I  had 
resolved  to  carry  out  as  expeditiously  as  possible  the 


RESCUED.  261 

horrible  task  which  lay  before  me.  But  how  I  was  to 
dig  a  grave  of  sufficient  depth,  seeing  that  I  had  no 
tools,  save  ray  knife  and  hands,  with  which  to  do  it,  I 
could  not  understand.  Fearing,  however,  that  if  I 
delayed  matters  any  longer  I  should  never  undertake 
it  at  all,  I  chose  a  suitable  spot  a  little  to  the  right  of 
the  plateau,  and  fell  to  work. 

I  found  it  a  longer  business  than  I  expected,  for 
though  I  commenced  it  early  enough,  it  was  nearly 
dusk  before  I  had  completed  it.  Unfortunately  I  had 
only  accomplished  the  least  horrible  part.  What  I 
most  dreaded  was  conveying  the  body  to  the  grave,  and 
this  I  had  now  to  do. 

Returning  to  the  camp  on  the  plateau,  the  very 
remembrance  of  which  had  grown  indescribably  repul- 
sive to  me,  I  approached  the  spot.  A  feeling  of  surprise 
took  possession  of  me  when  I  saw  that  the  body  lay 
just  as  I  had  left  it,  and  perhaps  for  the  same  reason  I 
found  myself  creeping  towards  it  on  tip-toe,  as  if  it  were 
wrapped  in  a  slumber  which  might  be  easily  disturbed. 

Stooping  down,  I  placed  my  arms  round  it,  then  lifting 
it  on  to  my  shoulder,  hurried  back  to  the  grave  with  all 
possible  speed.  Laying  it  down,  I  returned  for  the  cloth 
stretcher  on  which  we  had  borne  Veueda  the  previous 
night,  and  having  procured  this  I  wrapped  the  body  in 
it  and  laid  it  in  the  grave.  Then  endeavouring  to 
bring  my  mind  to  bear  on  the  awful  solemnity  of  what 
I  was  doing,  I  repeated  as  much  as  I  could  remember 
of  the  service  for  the  burial  of  the  dead.  It  was  an 
impressive  scene.  The  dead  man  in  his  shallow  grave, 


262  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

the  evening  breeze  just  stirring  the  trees,  the  light  and 
shadow  effects  of  the  sunset,  the  smooth  sea,  and  the 
awful  silence  of  the  island.  Such  an  impression  did  it 
make  on  me,  that  it  seemed  if  I  did  not  get  away  from 
the  spot  I  should  go  raving  mad.  So  soon  therefore  as 
I  had  committed  his  body  to  the  ground, "  earth  to  earth, 
ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to  dust,"  I  began  to  fill  in  the  soil 
with  feverish  haste.  The  instant  that  was  finished,  I 
picked  up  my  remaining  supply  of  rice  and  the  cooking- 
pot,  and  ran  for  dear  life.  Strange  shapes  peered  at  me 
from  every  tree,  and  unearthly  voices  whispered  in  the 
faint  rustling  of  the  leaves.  The  truth  was  my  nerves 
were  utterly  unstrung, — and  was  this  indeed  to  be 
wondered  at,  considering  the  nature  of  my  experiences 
within  the  last  twenty-four  hours  ? 

So  great  was  my  horror  of  an  Unknown  Something — 
what,  I  could  not  explain — that  I  had  run  to  the  end  of 
the  island  farthest  from  the  grave  before  I  came  to  my- 
self. Then  I  threw  myself  down  upon  the  sands  quite 
exhausted.  But  I  was  too  hungry  to  remain  inactive 
long.  Lighting  a  fire  with  my  one  remaining  match,  I 
set  to  work  to  cook  some  rice,  obtaining  water  from  a 
spring  I  had  discovered  in  my  morning's  ramble.  By 
the  time  I  had  finished  my  meal  it  was  quite  dark,  so 
I  laid  myself  down,  and  after  a  while  fell  asleep. 

With  prudence  born  of  the  knowledge  that  if  my 
fire  once  went  out  I  should  have  no  means  of  relighting 
it,  I  had  heaped  plenty  of  fuel  on  it  before  I  turned  in, 
so  that  when  I  woke  next  morning  it  was  still  burning 
brightly.  Havinsr  cooked  and  eaten  a  small  portion  of 


RESCUED.  263 

my  rice,  for  I  was  now  compelled  to  rigidly  allowance 
myself,  I  replenished  my  fire,  and  started  off  to  climb 
to  my  usual  look-out  spot  on  the  top  of  the  hill. 

Though  I  searched  in  every  direction,  not  a  sign  of  a 
sail  was  visible.  Only  the  same  expanse  of  blue  water 
stretching  away  to  the  sky-line,  the  same  wheeling 
gulls,  and  the  same  eternal  thunder  of  the  surf  upon 
the  rearward  reef. 

Anything  more  awful  than  the  feeling  of  desolation 
that  encompassed  me  I  would  defy  any  one  to  imagine. 
My  sensations  were  those  of  a  man  cut  off  for  ever  from 
his  fellow-creatures,  a  hapless  outcast,  destined  to 
perish  by  slow  starvation  on  that  barren  spot.  A  few 
more  meals  I  discovered  would  find  me  at  the  end  of 
my  supplies.  And  what  would  happen  then  ? 

While  I  was  occupied  with  these  miserable  reflections, 
the  lo;-ket  Veneda  had  given  me  chafed  my  skin,  and 
the  bitter  irony  of  my  position  figured  before  me  in  a 
new  light.  Here  was  I,  I  told  myself,  having  about  me 
the  key  to  enormous  wealth,  unable  to  procure  the 
commonest  necessaries  of  life.  A  Croesus  and  a  beggar ! 
Indeed,  at  that  moment,  had  it  been  in  my  power  to  do 
so,  I  would  willingly  have  exchanged  all  my  chances  of 
obtaining  the  money  for  another  small  bag  of  rice  like 
the  one  I  was  just  at  the  end  of.  I  returned  to  my  fire 
to  spend  the  remainder  of  the  day  tramping  up  and 
down  the  hill  watching  for  the  sail  that  never  came. 

That  night  I  ate  my  last  mouthful  of  food.  Hence 
forward  I  must  go  without,  unless  I  could  find  some 
«or*  «f  fruit  or  shell-fish  with  wnich  to  keep  body  and 


264  IN  STKANGE   COMPANY. 

soul  together.  Having  this  object  in  view,  off  I  set  next 
morning  on  another  expedition  round  the  island.  But 
I  might  have  spared  myself  the  labour.  Trees  there 
were  in  abundance,  but  not  one  having  any  pretence  to 
fruit.  Fish  I  knew  teemed  in  the  bay,  but  I  had 
neither  line  nor  hooks  wherewith  to  catch  them,  nor 
anything  of  which  to  manufacture  such  tackle.  Thus 
when  I  reviewed  my  position  I  began  to  see  the  hope- 
lessness of  it,  and  to  think  it  would  be  better  for  me 
to  lie  down  and  die  without  struggling  any  further 
against  my  overwhelming  fate. 

All  that  day  and  the  next  I  was  without  a  morsel  of 
food ;  my  agony  was  indescribable.  How  many  times  I 
climbed  that  hill  I  could  not  say,  but  it  was  always  with 
the  same  result — no  sail — no  sail !  My  one  remaining 
thought  was  to  keep  up  the  fire,  for  I  knew  that  if  that 
went  out  I  should  have  no  means  left  of  communicating 
with  passing  ships.  Then  a  period  of  abject  despair 
supervened,  in  which  I  cared  not  a  rap  what  became  of 
me.  How  I  spent  my  time  after  that  I  could  not  tell 
you.  I  believe,  however,  that  I  must  have  been  delirious, 
for  I  have  a  faint  recollection  of  running  along  the 
beach  screaming  to  Veneda  that  the  Albino  was  pur- 
suing me.  Certainly  this  fit  lasted  a  long  time,  for  the 
next  thing  I  remember  is  finding  myself  lying  more 
dead  than  alive  on  the  sand  beside  my  lurnt-out  fire. 

My  last  hope  was  gone.  My  chance  of  attracting 
attention  had  been  taken  away  from  me.  Thereupon  I 
asked  myself,  Why  should  I  wait  for  death  to  release  me  ? 
why  should  I  not  take  the  direction  of  affairs  into  my 


RESCUED.  265 

own  hands,  and  anticipate  what  could  only  be  a  matter 
of  another  day,  by  the  very  longest  calcuiation  ? 

Strange  though  it  may  seem,  my  troubled  brain  found 
something  peculiarly  soothing  in  this  idea.  I  brooded  over 
it  unceasingly,  deriving  a  melancholy  satisfaction  from 
the  knowledge  that,  though  my  agony  was  more  than 
human,  it  was  in  my  power  to  end  it  when  I  pleased. 
Somehow  or  other  I  developed  the  idea  that  the  evening 
would  be  the  most  fitting  time  for  me  to  accomplish  the 
awful  deed,  perhaps  just  at  sundown.  Three  words, 
"  the  evening  sacrifice,"  part  of  a  half-forgotten  hymn, 
faint  relic  of  my  boyhood,  haunted  me  continually — 

"  The  sun  is  sinking  fast, 

The  daylight  dies  ; 
Let  love  awake,  and  pay 
Her  evening  sacrifice.1* 

Then  suddenly  a  grisly  notion  seized  me,  and  all  the 
afternoon  I  occupied  myself  procuring  from  a  tree  a 
slab  of  wood,  upon  which  to  carve  my  name  and  age. 
With  what  care  I  chose  the  inscription !  With  what 
labour  I  worked  upon  it !  When  it  was  completed  to 
my  satisfaction,  it  read  as  follows — 

THE   MORTAL   REMAINS 

OF 
JOHN   RAMSAY, 

MARINER, 

WJw,  dying  by  his  otrn  hand) 
Bluffed  Starvation,  and  became  the  Victim  of  Despair  I 

The  sun  was  now  only  half  a  hand  above  the  horizon. 


266  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

staring  me  in  the  face,  a  great  globe  of  mocking  fire. 
I  had  long  since  chosen  the  spot  for  my  death,  and 
thither  I  proceeded,  sticking  my  tombstone  in  the 
ground  beside  the  place  where  in  all  probability  my 
corpse  would  fail. 

When  all  my  arrangements  were  made,  I  fell  to 
sharpening  my  knife  upon  a  stone,  pausing  now  and 
again  to  watch  the  sun.  His  lower  edge  was  hardly 
an  eighth  of  an  inch  above  the  sea-line,  and  as  he 
sank  beneath  it,  I  determined  to  have  done  with  thia 
weary  world,  and  to  endeavour  to  find  in  another  the 
peace  which  was  denied  rue  here. 

For  the  second  time  since  my  arrival  on  the  island, 
my  whole  life  passed  in  review  before  my  eyes ; — I  saw 
the  dame's  school  at  Plymouth,  Sir  Benjamin,  and  the 
East  India  Avenue,  Maud,  and  my  dear  dead  mother. 
The  bright  side  of  my  life  seemed  suddenly  to  end  here, 
and  a  darker  procession  commenced  to  stalk  across  the 
stage.  My  early  sea  life,  my  quarrel  with  Maud,  the 
gold-fields,  my  illness,  Broken  Hill,  and,  lastly,  Veneda's 
death.  The  beach  seemed  peopled  with  phantoms, 
and  it  was  as  if  they  were  all  imploring  me  with  out- 
stretched arms  to  stay  my  wicked  hand.  But  I  would 
not  heed  them.  The  sun  was  now  more  than  half  sunk 
beneath  the  sea,  and  I  drew  back  my  arm  to  point  the 
sacrificial  knife. 

At  that  instant  a  tiny  object  moving  on  the  beach, 
fifty  yards  or  so  from  where  I  stood,  caught  my  eye, 
I  paused  to  wonder  what  it  might  be,  and  that  little 
act  of  curiosity  saved  my  life.  In  that  moment  I 


RESCUED.  267 

abandoned  the  idea  of  self-destruction,  and  the  next  1 
was  staggering  towards  the  thing,  whatever  it  might  be. 

It  was  a  turtle  making  for  the  sea  ! 

Before  he  could  escape  me  I  had  turned  him  on  his 
back,  and  plunged  the  knife  into  his  breast;  then 
working  it  round,  in  less  time  almost  than  it  takes  to 
tell,  I  had  portions  of  the  flesh  cut  out,  and  was 
ravenously  devouring  them.  Oh,  the  delight  of  that 
meal ! 

When  I  had  eaten  as  much  as  I  wanted,  I  carried 
what  remained  to  a  place  of  safety,  and  afterwards 
knelt  upon  the  beach  to  thank  God  earnestly  for 
sparing  my  life  to  me.  But  for  that  tiny  beast's 
intervention  I  should  have  been  a  dead  man.  Then 
with  a  heart  considerably  lighter  I  rose  to  my  feet,  and 
determined  to  see  if  by  any  chance  I  could  discover 
another  of  the  animals. 

My  luck  had  turned,  for  on  the  other  side  of  the 
island  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  another  and 
even  larger  one.  Carrying  him  back  to  my  camp,  I 
despatched  him  at  once  to  make  sure,  and  then  hid 
his  flesh.  I  can  assure  you  that  it  was  with  a  happier 
and  more  contented  heart  that  I  fell  asleep  that 
night. 

Next  morning  I  breakfasted  on  the  turtle,  and  when 
I  had  finished,  started  up  the  hill  to  look  for  ships. 
A.S  usual,  none  were  to  be  seen.  Having  convinced 
myself  of  this  melancholy  fact,  I  returned  to  the  shore, 
and,  for  something  to  do,  set  myself  to  destroy  the 
head-board  I  had  manufactured  the  day  before,  and  to 


268  IN   STRANGE    COMPANY. 

begin  another  to  perpetuate  Veneda's  memory.  In  this 
manner  I  occupied  myself  all  that  day.  When  it  was 
finished,  I  set  off  to  view  the  grave  for  the  first  time 
since  I  had  laid  him  in  it. 

It  had  already  begun  to  look  unkempt  and  straggling, 
so  quickly  do  things  grow  in  these  latitudes.  When 
I  had  tidied  it  as  well  as  I  could,  I  dug  a  hole  at  the 
head  and  erected  the  board.  It  is  not  much  to  look 
at,  but  at  least  it  will  serve  its  purpose,  so  that  whoso- 
ever visits  the  spot  in  the  future  will  be  able  to  read 
the  name  of  the  man  who  lies  beneath  it. 

This  work  accomplished,  I  started  back  along  the 
shore  to  my  camp  for  dinner.  Turning  the  point,  I 
happened  to  look  out  to  sea.  I  stopped  suddenly  in 
my  walk.  I  almost  dropped  under  the  shock !  A  sail 
was  in  sight,  and  heading  towards  the  island  ! 

For  a  moment  I  remained  rooted  where  I  stood; 
my  excitement  chained  me  hand  and  foot.  Would 
she  see  me,  or  would  she  pass  me  by?  The  latter 
thought  was  agony.  How  could  I  attract  her  attention  ? 
I  had  no  means  to  raise  a  flare,  so  I  must  hit  upon 
some  other  scheme.  Rushing  swiftly  across  the  sands 
into  the  thicket,  I  cut  a  long  pole,  and  to  this  fastened 
my  jacket.  Then  running  with  all  my  speed  along  the 
beach  towards  a  piece  of  elevated  ground,  I  ascended 
it,  and  wildly  began  to  wave  my  signal. 

Closer  and  closer  she  approached  the  island,  and,  as 
she  came,  I  made  out  that  she  was  not  one  of  the 
small  trading  boats  I  had  at  first  imagined  her,  but 
a  steam-yacht,  and  a  large  one  at  that.  When  she 


RESCUED.  269 

was  about  two  miles  distant  she  ran  a  flag  up  to  her 
peak.  I  could  not  of  course  at  that  distance  make 
out  what  it  was,  but  I  understood  that  it  was  an 
answer  to  my  signal,  and  waved  my  flag  the  more 
frantically,  running  down  to  the  water's  edge  to  do  so. 
Then  I  saw  that  a  boat  was  being  lowered. 

As  soon  as  she  was  clear  she  started  for  the  shore, 
and  when  I  saw  her  coming  I  fell  upon  my  knees,  and 
sobbed  as  if  my  heart  would  break.  After  what 
seemed  an  eternity  they  grounded  her,  and  I  waded 
out  to  meet  them.  A  gentlemanly-looking  young 
fellow  sat  in  the  stern-sheets.  He  stared  at  me  rather 
hard  (and  well  he  might,  for  I  must  have  cut  a  strange 
figure),  and  said — 

"  I've  been  sent  to  see  what's  the  matter.  Can  we 
help  you?" 

"Take  me  away/'  I  cried,  "take  me  away.  I'm 
dying!" 

I  really  thought  I  was.  My  senses  were  leaving  me. 
I  tottered,  clutched  at  the  gunwale  of  the  boat,  and 
remember  no  more! 


CHAPTER  V. 

RAMSAY  MEETS  OLD   FRIENDS. 

WHEN  I  came  to  my  senses,  rny  first  impression  wan 
that  I  was  still  upon  the  island.  This  notioD 
was  perhaps  strengthened  in  my  mind  by  a  continuous 
grinding  noise  (proceeding  from  the  engine-room,  I 
discovered  later),  which,  I  must  own,  somewhat  resem- 
bled the  distant  roar  of  the  surf  upon  the  beach. 
When,  however,  I  looked  about  me,  it  was  not  upon 
the  timber-clad  hill,  or  the  long  sandy  foreshore  of  the 
island  that  my  eyes  alighted,  but  on  the  confined  space 
of  a  ship's  cabin.  It  contained  one  bunk,  a  narrow  sort 
of  sofa,  somewhat  like  the  contrivance  one  sees  in  the 
first-class  state-rooms  of  the  great  mail-boats ;  a  minia- 
ture chest  of  drawers  and  desk  combined,  on  the  top  of 
which,  beneath  a  number  of  photographs,  pipes,  and 
cheap  knick-knacks,  stood  a  variety  of  sombre-looking 
account-books  ;  a  curtained  recess  for  hanging  clothes, 
and  a  well-contrived  washstand. 

Then,  in  a  flash,  the  remembrance  of  my  rescue  by 
the  yacht  came  back  to  me,  and  I  had  just  recalled  the 
circumstance  of  my  wading  out  to  her  boat,  when  the 
door  opened  and  two  men  entered.  The  first  was  a 


RAMSAY    MEETS    OLD    FRIENDS.  271 

dignified,  grey-haired  man,  possessed  of  a  handsome, 
aristocratic  face ;  the  second  was  rather  smaller,  with  a 
bright,  rosy  little  countenance,  eyes  that  bespoke  him  a 
humourist,  and  a  general  air  that  said  as  plainly  as  words 
could  have  done  that  he  was  an  Irishman.  There  was 
still  a  third  behind  them,  the  steward,  whose  cabin  I 
was  then  occupying ;  but  he,  either  from  motives  of 
delicacy,  or  because  he  imagined  the  cabin  to  be  already 
sufficiently  crowded;  remained  in  the  alley-way.  The 
Irishman  opened  the  conversation. 

"  Sir  Richard,"  he  began,  as  soon  as  he  saw  that  I  was 
awake,  "  you've  lost  your  money,  he's  himself  again. 
Now,  my  man,  how  are  you,  eh  ?  " 

I  answered  that  I  felt  almost  well,  but  that  I  would 
be  grateful  if  he  would  inform  me  what  boat  I  was  on, 
and  to  whom  I  was  indebted  for  my  rescue.  Perhaps 
something  in  my  voice  told  liim  that  I  was  not  an 
ordinary  foremast  hand,  for  he  immediately  adopted  a 
different  tone,  and  after  feeling  my  pulse,  said — 

"  You're  undoubtedly  much  stronger  than  when  you 
were  talking  nonsense  about  Albinos,  and  digging  up 
dead  men,  yesterday.  Where  are  you  ?  Why,  on  board 
the  Esmeralda,  Sir  Richard  Tremorden's  yacht,  to  whom 
you  are  indebted  for  the  civility  of  saving  your  life.  Let 
me  introduce  you  to  Sir  Richard." 

I  turned  to  Sir  Richard  and  tried  to  thank  him,  but 
he  would  not  hear  of  it. 

"  Not  at  all,  Mr.  ."  Here  he  paused  for  me  to 
give  him  my  name. 

"  Ramsay ,"  I  said. 


272  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"  Not  at  all,  Mr.  Ramsay.  I  am  very  thankful,  that 
I  was  in  a  position  to  do  so.  It  was  quite  by  chance 
that  we  sighted  the  island,  as  our  real  course  lay  a  good 
deal  to  the  eastward.  Forgive  my  curiosity,  but  you 
must  remember  you're  a  mystery,  and  we're  all  suffering 
from  an  attack  of  impatience  to  know  how  you  got 
there." 

I  was  going  to  begin  my  story,  but  Dr.  Sullivan — for 
such  I  afterwards  discovered  the  little  medico's  name 
to  be — would  not  permit  it. 

"  No,  no,  Sir  Richard,  not  just  now.  I  must  really 
exercise  a  doctor's  authority,  and  forbid  you  to  worry 
him  with  any  questions  until  he's  stronger;  besides, 
ye're  doing  the  ladies,  God  bless  'em,  an  injustice,  by 
trespassing  on  their  rights.  They'll  be  wanting  to 
cross-examine  Mr.  Ramsay  for  themselves." 

"As  you  please,  doctor,"  Sir  Richard  said,  with  a 
laugh.  "  You're  in  command  down  here,  of  course. 
Williams ! " 

The  man  in  the  alley- way  answered,  "Yes,  Sh 
Richard?1' 

"  Mind  you  take  good  care  that  Mr.  Ramsay  has 
everything  he  wants."  Then  turning  to  me,  "  Now,  I 
must  return  to  the  deck  to  tell  the  ladies  how  you  are. 
I  hope,  when  you  feel  stronger,  you'll  give  us  the  pleasure 
of  your  company." 

Shaking  me  by  the  hand,  he  bade  me  good-bye,  and 
went  out,  leaving  me  to  the  doctor,  who  thereupon 
began  his  medical  examination,  interspersing  it  with 
many  good-natured  sallies.  From  him  I  learnt  that 


RAMSAY   MEETS   OLD    FRIENDS.  273 

Sir  Richard  Tremorden  was  returning  from  a  yachting 
trip  to  Japan,  vid  Borneo  and  Java,  to  Singapore.  The 
yacht  was  full  of  his  friends,  and  it  was  only  just  by 
chance  that  he,  the  doctor,  had  been  able  to  make  one 
of  the  party.  Furthermore,  it  was  Lady  Tremorden 
who  first  caught  sight  of  my  signal,  and  it  was  a  strange 
coincidence  that  she  it  was  who  had  proposed  leaving 
their  course  to  take  a  look  at  the  island. 

While  we  were  talking,  the  steward  brought  me  a 
large  cup  of  beef-tea,  and  after  he  had  helped  me  to 
sit  up  to  it,  the  kindly  little  medico  withdrew,  having 
elicited  all  the  information  he  could,  concerning  myself 
and  my  profession,  for  the  information  of  the  ladies  on 
deck.  When  I  was  alone,  I  found  myself  face  to  face 
with  a  situation  I  had  not  before  contemplated.  How 
was  I  to  account  for  my  presence  on  the  island  without 
introducing  the  subject  of  our  escape  from  Batavia  ? 
I  thought  and  thought,  but  without  telling  a  downright 
untruth  I  could  see  no  way  out  of  it.  At  last,  after  a 
deal  of  earnest  consideration,  I  determined,  if  asked,  to 
say  that,  having  nothing  to  do  for  awhile,  I  had  accom- 
panied a  Malay  on  a  sailing-trip.  We  touched  at  the 
island,  and  while  I  was  ashore  he  cleared  out  and  left 
me.  This  was  the  only  course  I  could  see.  I  had  my 
own  reasons  for  saying  nothing  about  Veneda. 

After  lunch,  dressed  in  a  white  duck  suit  of  Sir 
Richard's,  and  having  removed  from  my  face  the  fort- 
night's beard  that  covered  it,  I  went  on  deck,  and  was 
presented  in  proper  form  to  the  ladies,  who,  you  may  be 
gure,  were  all  on  the  qui  vive  to  hear  my  story.  This, 


274  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

as  soon  as  I  could,  I  told  them,  and  I  must  own  that  1 
blushed  to  hear  their  vigorous  denunciations  of  the 
treacherous  Malay.  Lady  Tremorden  was  particularly 
gracious,  and  to  her  I  hastened  to  express  my  deep  debt 
of  gratitude. 

When  I  look  back  upon  the  strange  experiences  of 
that  year,  I  always  think  of  that  short  voyage  on  board 
the  Esmeralda  as  one  of  the  few  parts  of  it  I  should 
care  to  undergo  again.  I  said  as  much  to  Sir  Richard 
the  other  day,  when  I  met  him  in  London  at  a  certain 
club  of  which  we  are  both  members.  He  laughed  and 
answered — 

"  You  were  as  good  as  a  tonic  to  us,  we  had  had 
no  sensation  since  one  of  the  hands  fell  overboard  in 
Nagasaki." 

Early  next  morning  we  reached  Singapore,  where  I 
was  to  bid  my  kind  friends  "  farewell."  Before  I  left  the 
yacht,  Sir  Richard  invited  me  to  his  cabin,  and  in  a  real 
spirit  of  friendliness  asked  me  how  I  stood  with  regard 
to  money,  offering  to  become  my  banker  if  I  should 
require  anything  to  help  me  along.  But  as  I  still 
possessed  a  fair  amount  of  the  Albino's  loan,  this  kind 
offer  I  was  able  to  decline,  though  of  course  I  was 
none  the  less  grateful  to  the  generous  thought  which 
prompted  it. 

By  nightfall  the  yacht  had  coaled,  and  proceeded  on 
her  way  to  Saigon,  and,  nothing  else  offering,  I  had 
signed  myself  on  the  Turkish  Pacha,  to  work  my  way 
home  before  the  mast. 

She   was  a   powerful   old  Oceai  Tramp,  homeward 


KAM8AY    MEETS    OLD    FRIENDS.  275 

bound  from  Hong  Kong.  Strangely  enough,  to  show 
how  a  mail  the  world  is,  it  happened  that  her  second 
officer  was  none  other  than  young  Bel  ton,  who  was  third 
mate  of  the  Beretania  when  I  was  chief  officer.  I  suppose 
I  must  have  looked  very  much  the  same  as  the  other 
fo'c'sle  hands,  for  though  we  were  often  thrown  together, 
we  were  off  the  South  Foreland  before  he  recognized 
me.  Then,  up  to  a  certain  point,  and  with  numberless 
reservations  that  quite  altered  the  face  of  it,  I  told  him 
my  story.  I  don't  suppose  he  believed  it  for  an  instant ; 
doubtless  he  thought  me  a  wonderful  liar,  and  put  it  all 
down  as  the  result  of  a  liking  for  strong  waters.  But  I 
must  do  him  the  justice  to  admit,  that  when  we  were 
paid  off  he  proffered  me  a  loan,  my  non-acceptance  of 
which  must  have  puzzled  him  considerably. 

The  time  was  now  coining  for  me  to  ascertain  what 
truth  there  was  in  the  story  Veneda  had  told  me  of  his 
fortune.  But  as  I  had  passed  my  word  to  him  not  to 
open  the  locket  within  a  month  of  my  arrival  in  London, 
I  had  to  look  about  me  for  a  place  to  stay  in  until  that 
time  should  expire.  Having  sufficient  money  to  keep 
me  for  at  least  six  weeks  in  comparative  comfort,  I 
resolved  to  put  up  at  a  quiet  place  I  knew  of,  near  the 
East  India  Docks,  until  the  end  of  that  period,  and  then 
to  open  the  locket  and  try  my  success. 

Somehow  or  other,  though  I  had  been  assured  by 
Veneda  of  its  worth,  though  I  wore  it  round  my  neck 
as  a  tangible  proof  of  its  reality,  and  had  been  warned 
of  the  attempts  that  woild  in  all  probability  be  made 
to  obtain  possession  of  it,  I  was  not  altogether  a  believer 


276  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

in  the  likelihood  of  its  doing  very  much  for  me.  I  had 
been  devoid  of  luck  so  long  that  I  began  to  believe  no 
more  could  ever  come  my  way.  So,  all  things  con- 
sidered, I  should  not  have  been  overwhelmed  with 
astonishment,  had  I  on  opening  it  discovered  the  in- 
formation it  contained  to  be  entirely  valueless. 

I  cannot  tell  you  how  strange  it  seemed  to  me 
to  be  back  again  in  London  after  so  long  an  absence, 
and  how  bitterly  I  felt  the  loss  of  the  poor  old  mother's 
kindly  welcome.  As  to  Maud,  my  gentle  Maud,  of 
whom  I  had  been  thinking  more  than  was  good  for  me 
of  late,  was  it  any  use  to  think  of  her  ?  Had  I  forfeited 
all  right  to  her  regard  ?  So  constantly  was  she  in  my 
mind  that  I  remember  one  night,  under  cover  of  dark- 
ness, stealing  down  to  Holland  Park  just  to  take  one 
glimpse  at  the  old  place  where  she  had  lived,  and  where 
once  I  had  been  so  happy. 

It  was  a  wet,  miserable  evening;  a  piercing  wind 
shrieked  along  the  dismal  streets  and  moaned  round  the 
corners,  chilling  to  the  marrow  the  bones  of  one  accus- 
tomed to  the  warmth  and  brightness  of  those  sunny 
Southern  seas.  Leaving  my  omnibus  in  the  Uxbridge 
Road,  I  walked  up  a  side  street  to  the  house.  There 
it  stood,  solid  and  respectable  as  I  remembered  it. 
No  changes  had  been  made  in  its  exterior,  everything 
was  exactly  as  when  I  saw  it  last,  even  to  the  peculiar 
scrimpiness  about  the  piece  of  privet  hedge  beside  the 
gate.  A  light  was  burning  in  an  up-stair  window,  but 
otherwise  the  house  was  dark  and  silent  as  the  grave 
I  stood  and  looked,  the  tears  rising  in  my  eyes  as  I  did 


RAMSAY   MEETS   OLD   FRIENDS.  277 

so;  then,  heaving  a  sigh  for  the  sake  of  "auld  lang 
syne,"  and  all  that  might  have  been,  I  turned  and  went 
sorrowfully  away. 

And  now  I  am  brought  to  the  relation  of  an  incident 
which  was  to  have  a  great  and  awful  bearing  on  my 
future.  One  wet  morning,  I  had  just  alighted  from  a 
'bus  in  Oxford  Street,  a  little  below  the  Holborn 
Restaurant,  and  was  half-way  across  the  street,  when  a 
hansom  whisked  past  me,  so  close  that  the  horse's  nose 
brushed  my  sleeve.  The  driver  called  to  me  to  stand 
clear,  and,  expecting  an  accident,  the  fare  threw  open 
the  apron  and  half  stepped  out.  To  my  amazement  he 
was  none  oilier  than  the  Albino.  There  could  be  no 
mistake  about  it ;  I  knew  him  in  an  instant.  My 
astonishment  was  so  great  that  I  stopped  in  the  middle 
of  the  road,  and  once  more  came  near  being  run  over. 

On  recovering  myself  my  first  impulse  was  to  hail  a 
hansom  and  make  after  him,  but  on  second  thoughts  I 
saw  the  folly  of  such  a  proceeding.  My  one  endeavour 
must  rather  be  to  keep  out  of  his  way.  Whether  he 
recognized  me  or  not  1  could  not  of  course  tell,  but  we 
were  so  close  to  one  another  that  it  was  most  unlikely 
that  he  could  have  failed  to  do  so.  But  then,  I  told 
myself,  even  if  he  did,  what  could  it  matter  ?  He  would 
never  suspect  me  of  being  the  possessor  of  the  locket, 
for  how  should  he  know  that  I  had  escaped  with 
Venecia  from  Batavia  ?  Still,  until  I  knew  whether  the 
secret  the  locket  contained  was  of  any  value,  it  would 
be  folly  to  run  the  risk  of  losing  ;t  How  well  I  guarded 
it  the  sequel  will  show. 


278  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

Having  little  if  any  mone^y  to  spend  in  what  ift 
called  "knocking  about  town,"  I  did  not  go  out  very 
much  of  an  evening.  When  I  did,  my  chief  amuse- 
ment was  the  theatre,  to  which  I  treated  myself  on  an 
average  about  twice  a  week.  After  the  performance  it 
was  my  custom  on  the  way  home  to  drop  into  a  small 
hostelry  called  the  "  Rose  and  Crown  "  for  a  night-cap. 
One  evening  (I  had  been  to  the  Lyceum,  I  think)  I 
went  in  and  called  for  my  usual  refreshment.  The  bai 
was  crowded,  and  among  the  visitors  was  a  man  whc 
seemed  to  take  a  particular  interest  in  myself.  He 
came  up  to  me  and  invited  me  to  take  a  glass  with 
him.  Upon  my  offering  some  excuse  he  tried  by  every 
means  in  his  power  to  ingratiate  himself  with  me.  But 
I  did  not  like  his  look,  and  resolved,  if  I  saw  anything 
more  of  him  there,  to  transfer  my  patronage  from  the 
"  Rose  and  Crown  "  elsewhere. 

A  few  nights  later  I  was  annoyed  at  finding  him 
there  again,  this  time  evidently  awaiting  my  coming. 
As  soon  as  I  entered  he  advanced  upon  me,  and  asked 
why  I  had  refused  to  drink  with  him  on  the  previous 
occasion,  demanding  if  I  had  any  objection  to  his  com- 
pany? It  would  have  been  the  easiest  thing  in  the 
world  for  me  to  have  knocked  him  down,  but  I  did  not 
want  to  make  a  row,  so  I  resolved  if  possible  not  to  lose 
my  temper  with  him.  As  soon  as  he  found  I  was 
prepared  to  listen  to  what  he  had  to  say,  he  entered 
upon  a  long  rambling  statement  as  to  what  he  would 
have  done  had  I  insulted  him  again,  winding  up  by 
inserting  his  hand  inside  my  collar,  and  at  the  same 


RAMSAY    MEETS    OLD    FHIENDS.  279 

time  tugging  violently  at  the  chain  which  held  the 
locket  round  my  neck.  I  was  so  surprised  by  his  impu- 
dence that  for  a  second  or  two  I  let  him  pull,  then, 
divining  his  intention,  I  immediately  knocked  him 
down. 

His  fall  raised  a  hubbub,  but  as  soon  as  I  could  I 
explained  matters  to  the  landlord,  who,  knowing  me 
for  a  regular  customer,  was  the  more  disposed  to  over- 
look such  a  trifling  indiscretion  as  knocking  a  stranger 
down  in  his  bar.  When  I  left  the  house  I  hastened 
home,  reflecting  with  considerable  gratitude  (seeing  the 
aspect  affairs  were  beginning  to  assume)  that  another 
ten  days  would  give  me  the  right  to  open  the  locket 
and  decide  its  secret. 

That  the  man  was  an  emissary  of  the  Albino's,  em- 
ployed to  find  out  if  by  any  chance  I  had  the  locket,  I 
did  not  for  a  moment  doubt.  The  whole  thing  was  as 
clear  as  daylight.  Macklin  had  discovered  Veneda's 
whereabouts,  and  our  escape  together.  Of  course  he 
could  not  know  anything  of  the  other's  death,  but 
meeting  me  in  London  he  must  have  thought  it  worth 
his  while  to  make  sure  that  I  was  not  the  possessor  of 
what  he  was  so  anxious  to  obtain.  Now  the  man  would 
be  able  to  inform  him  definitely  that  I  had  got  it,  and 
things  would  be  pretty  certain  to  come  to  a  crisis.  I 
resolved  to  be  more  careful  than  ever. 

On  the  Saturday  following  the  events  just  described, 
I  was  not  very  well,  a  feeling  of  intense  depression  had 
seized  me,  and  in  order  to  try  and  raise  my  spirits  I 
went  to  the  Empire  Music  Hall,  While  mixed  up  in 


280  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

the  crowd  leaving  it  I  felt  my  arm  clutched.  Imagine 
my  amazement  on  turning  at  finding  myself  confronted 
by  no  less  a  person  than  Juanita  !  She  was  dressed 
entirely  in  black,  and  though  thinner  than  when  we 
had  parted,  still  looked  surpassingly  beautiful.  Without 
a  word  she  slipped  her  arm  through  mine  and  drew  me 
from  the  building.  When  we  reached  the  street,  she 
said — 

"  My  Jack,  how  I  have  longed  for  this  day  !  Oh,  the 
joy  of  seeing  you  again  ! " 

I  was  about  to  venture  some  remonstrance,  but  she 
would  not  hear  me  until  we  had  left  the  square,  and 
were  pacing  down  a  side  street. 

"What  joy  this  is  for  me  I"  she  said,  as  we  walked 
along.  "  Never  did  I  think  on  that  dreadful  morning 
in  Batavia  that  we  two  would  meet  again." 

"It  isn't  your  fault  that  we  have/'  I  said  bitterly, 
remembering  her  treachery.  "  It  wasn't  your  fault  that 
your  evidence  didn't  bring  me  to  the  gallows." 

"  Oh,  Jack,  you  would  not  be  so  cruel  as  to  blame  me 
for  that  ?  "  she  cried.  "  I  could  not  help  myself.  If  I 
had  not  given  the  evidence  I  did,  I  should  not  have  left 
Bata\ia  alive." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  asked,  astonished. 

"Macklin,"  she  hissed,  and  her  eyes  glowed  with 
a  sudden  fury  as  her  lips  dwelt  upon  his  name.  "  I  was 
his  slave,  body  and  soul.  I  dared  not  do  anything  but 
his  will.  Oh,  Jack,  forgive  me,  forgive  me,  for  I  have 
been  so  unhappy." 

But  though  she  pleaded  in  this  fashion,  I  was  not  to 


RAMSAY    MEETS    OLD    FRIENDS.  281 

be  hoodwinked.  I  had  tasted  her  treachery  before,  how 
was  I  to  know  that  she  was  not  fooling  me  now  ?  I 
told  her  as  much,  whereupon  she  withdrew  her  arm 
from  mine,  and  made  as  if  she  would  leave  me.  Her 
voice,  when  she  spoke,  had  a  certain  pride  in  it,  which 
I  could  not  understand. 

"  Say  no  more  ;  it  was  foolish  of  me  to  have  stopped 
you.  I  thought,  when  I  saw  your  face,  there  might 
be  some  little  pity  for  my  loneliness.  I  was  mistaken. 
Good-bye  Jack,  good-bye." 

She  held  out  her  little  hand  to  me  as  though  she 
would  leave  me  there  and  then,  and  looking  into  her 
eyes — we  were  just  beneath  a  gas-lamp — I  saw  that  she 
was  crying. 

Now,  never  in  my  life  have  I  been  able  to  stand  the 
sight  of  a  woman's  tears.  Crocodile  tears  though  they 
often  are,  they  have  an  effect  on  me  which  is  more  than 
peculiar.  I  began  at  once  to  reproach  myself  for 
having  been  so  blunt  with  her,  and  was  more  and  more 
inclined  to  place  credence  in  her  assertion  that  she  was 
only  led  to  act  as  she  had  done  by  the  influence  of  the 
Albino. 

"  Forgive  me,  Juanita,"  I  said.  "  I  spoke  roughly  to 
you,  but  it  was  only  natural  under  the  circumstances. 
I  believe  what  you  say,  and  regret  that  I  should  have 
given  you  additional  pain.  Where  are  you  staying 
now  ? " 

She  gave  me  her  address  and  I  asked  if  she  would 
allow  me  to  take  her  home.  She  consented,  and  as  it 
was  too  far  to  walk,  I  called  a  hansom.  Placing  her  in 


282  JtN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

it,  I  seated  myself  beside  her,  and  we  rattled  off.  As 
we  went  her  spirits  began  to  revive.  She  recalled  our 
voyage  in  the  schooner,  our  love-making  in  Thursday 
Island,  and  many  other  little  circumstances  connected 
with  our  mutual  past. 

At  length,  after  passing  down  a  long  overgrown 
thoroughfare,  the  cab  pulled  up  before  a  house.  She  got 
out  and  opened  the  front  door  while  I  paid  the  cabman. 
Then  we  went  up-stairs  together  to  her  sitting-room. 
Once  there,  her  light-hearted  manner  left  her  altogether. 

"  Jack,"  she  began  sadly,  "  I  know  it  is  all  over 
between  us,  but  can  you  find  it  in  your  heart  to  say  you 
forgive  me  ?  " 

"  Quite,  Juanita.  Badly  as  you  have  treated  me,  I 
forgive  you  everything." 

"  And  you  believe,  Jack,  that  whatever  I  may  have 
done,  I  loved  you  once  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  honestly  believe  that  you  did  love  me.  But, 
Juanita,  will  you  let  rne  ask  you  one  question  ?  " 

"  A  hundred  if  you  like,  Jack ;  for  this  will  be  our 
last  meeting.  After  to-night  we  shall  never  see  each 
other  again." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ? " 

"  That  I  am  going  away, — never  mind  where, — away 
from  England.  Now,  what  is  it  you  wish  to  ask  me  ?  " 

"  First,  why  did  you  want  that  money  ? " 

"  Oh,  Jack,  that  is  a  long  story,  and  a  sad  one.  But 
I  will  tell  you.  Once  I  was  poor, — oh,  so  poor  !  And  to 
keep  myself  from  starving  I  sold  my  honour.  A  little 
son  was  born  to  me — born  in  sin  and  shame.  I  loved 


RAMSAY    MEETS    OLD    FRIENDS.  283 

him  more  than  all  the  world,  but  knowing  what  I  was, 
I  dared  not  imperil  his  immortal  soul  by  letting  him 
remain  with  me.  So  I  gave  him  into  the  keeping  of 
the  Good  Sisters.  But  when  I  did  so,  I  bound  myself 
by  a  great  oath.  In  bringing  him  into  the  world  I  had 
done  him  a  wrong  which  I  could  never  repay.  Poverty 
had  compelled  me  to  it,  so  I  swore  that  I  would  never 
rest  until  I  had  collected  a  certain  sum  of  money,  by 
any  means,  good  or  bad,  to  be  his  property  when  he 
should  become  a  man  ;  so  that  he  should  never  experi- 
ence the  miserable  want  which  wrought  his  mother's 
ruin.  This  I  set  myself  solemnly  to  accomplish.  For 
a  long  time  I  could  hear  of  nothing.  Then  I  joined  a 
certain  Society  and  learnt  the  game  Veneda  and  the 
Albino  were  playing.  By  chance  I  discovered  Veneda's 
secret,  and  I  threw  my  lot  in  with  him,  determining  to 
steal  the  locket  which  contained  the  paper,  and  by  that 
means  obtain  the  money.  How  I  fought  for  it,  how 
he  deceived  me,  and  how  the  Albino  tracked  us  down, 
you  know.  There  is  one  thing,  perhaps,  of  which  you 
are  not  aware." 

"What  is  that?" 

"That  your  presence  in  London  with  the  locket  is 
known  to  him.  That  he  is  aware  of  your  escape  with 
Veneda,  your  journey  to  the  island,  your  voyage  to 
Singapore  in  Sir  Richard  Tremorden's  yacht,  and  your 
arrival  in  England  by  the  Turkish  Pacha" 

"  Good  heavens  ! "  I  cried,  astounded.  "  How  on 
earth  did  he  learn  all  that  ? " 

"  How  does  he  get  to  know  of  anything  !      He   is 


284  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

the  most  wonderful  man  under  the  sun,  T  think,  and 
certainly  the  wickedest.  His  agents  in  Batavia  found 
out  your  escape  from  a  cab-driver  and  a  boatman. 
Lady  Tremorden  described  your  rescue  in  a  letter  she 
contributes  to  a  ladies'  newspaper.  And  he  was  in 
the  docks  when  the  Turkish  Pacha  arrived  from 
Singapore." 

I  was  so  overcome  with  astonishment  that  I  could 
not  reply.  She  continued — 

"  Jack,  you  don't  know  what  escapes  you've  had. 
One  night  you  crossed  the  river  to  a  house  on  the 
Surrey  side,  didn't  you  ? " 

I  nodded.  I  remembered  the  occasion  perfectly.  I 
went  over  to  spend  the  evening  with  an  acquaintance, 
but  not  feeling  well,  left  early. 

"Well,  that  night,  by  his  orders,  three  men  waited 
two  hours  for  you  on  Westminster  Bridge.  Somehow 
they  must  have  missed  you.  Had  they  caught  you,  you 
would  most  certainly  have  lost  the  locket,  and  probably 
your  life.  One  night  you  went  to  supper  on  board  the 
Prince  of  Tartary,  lying  off  Blackwall  ?  " 

I  nodded  again. 

"  Those  three  men  followed  you.  You  slept  on  board, 
or  they  would  have  had  that  locket  and  thrown  your 
body  into  the  stream." 

"  But,  Juanita,  this  is  simply  murder." 

"  Jack,  you  may  not  believe  what  I  am  going  to  tell 
you,  but  it  is  nevertheless  true.  I  have  quarrelled 
hopelessly  with  Macklin,  and  I'm  hiding  from  his  anget 
now." 


RAMSAY    MEETS   OLD    FRIENDS.  285 

"  Why  did  you  quarrel  with  him,  Juanita  ?  " 

"  Because  he  wanted  me  to  help  him  in  another 
scheme  to  murder  you.  I  refused,  and  he  attempted 
my  life.  He  is  hunting  for  me  everywhere,  thinking  I 
shall  communicate  with  you." 

"  But,  Juanita,  if  you  still  want  that  money  for  your 
child,  and  you  didn't  spare  me  before,  why  do  you  do 
so  now  ? " 

Big  tears  rose  in  her  eyes,  and  her  voice  trembled  as 
she  replied — 

"  Jack,  my  child  is  dead.  And  think,  he  died  on  the 
day  that  I  betrayed  you  in  Batavia.  It  was  the  judg- 
ment of  heaven  on  my  sin.  Had  he  lived,  I  should 
have  betrayed  you  again.  But  now  that  I  know  he  is 
dead,  I  will  not  side  with  that  man  against  you.  But 
you  must  be  careful.  If  you  have  the  precious  paper, 
why  don't  you  go  to  the  place,  and  get  the  money  at 
once?" 

"  Because  I  can't.  I  have  sworn  not  to  open  the 
locket  until  I  have  been  a  month  in  England.  The 
time  expires  in  three  days,  then  I  shall  do  so.  But, 
Juanita,  you  must  leave  London  at  once,  you  are  not 
safe  here.  Go  into  the  country,  and  in  a  week  I  will 
send  you  money  enough  to  enable  you  to  get  out  of 
England.  You  must  let  me  help  you  in  return  for 
what  you've  done  for  me/' 

"'Ah  !  you  don't  know,"  she  answered  sadly.  "  Now 
my  little  one  is  gone,  my  life  seems  over  ;  I  am  tired 
of  the  battle.  I  would  rather  die  .  . .  Jack,  if  possible 
I  should  like  tc  give  my  life  to  save  yours,  to  show  what 


286  IN    STRANGE    COMPAQ. 

the  worth  of  my  love  really  ia.  Perhaps  you  would 
sometimes  think  kindly  of  me  then." 

"  I  shall  never  think  otherwise.  Believe  me,  there  is 
only  kindness  in  my  heart  towards  you." 

"Yes!  Only  kindness.  Your  love  is  dead,  Jack, 
some  day  you  will  marry  a  good  woman.  Don't  let  her 
believe  me  to  have  been  altogether  bad." 

"  Don't  you  know  me  better  than  that,  Juanita  ?  M 

*  But  now  that  the  Albino " 

"Well?" 

We  both  sprang  to  our  feet,  and  turned  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  voice.  The  Albino  stood  before  us  smiling? 
sweetly  ! 

"  And  what  of  the  Albino,  my  dear  Juanita  ?  You 
see,  he  appears  to  answer  for  himself.  But  there,  don't 
let's  talk  of  him.  This  is  indeed  a  pleasant  surprise. 
Quite  like  old  times,  I  declare.  John  Ramsay,  how 
d'you  do  ? " 

"  You  little  devil ! "  I  cried.  "  How  did  you  get  in 
here?" 

"  By  the  front  door,  my  dear  boy, — how  else  ?  The 
door  has  not  been  built  yet  that  could  keep  John 
Macklin  out.  But  you  don't  seem  pleased  to  see  me." 

"  I  should  be  delighted  if  I  thought  I  should  never 
set  eyes  on  you  again.  I've  come  to  the  bottom  of  a 
good  many  of  your  tricks,  and  I've  a  good  mind  to 
wring  your  neck,  you  murderous  little  reptile." 

"  That's  nonsense,  arrant  nonsense.  But  let's  get  to 
business.  Look  here,  John  Ramsay,  you're  very  smart, 
but  I'm  smarter.  I  want  that  locket  Veneda  gave  you. 


KAMSAY    MEETS    OLD    FRIENDS.  28? 

I  must  have  it  sooner  or  later,  so  you  may  as  well 
hand  it  over  now.  Give  it  to  me,  and  I'll  give  you  a 
cheque  for  a  thousand  pounds.  Could  anything  be 
fairer?" 

"  I  wouldn't  give  it  you  for  two  hundred  times  that 
amount." 

"  You're  a  fool,  a  madman !  You're  bringing  about 
your  own  ruin.  You've  got  it  on  you  now — give  it  to 
me,  or  I  swear  you  don't  leave  this  house  alive.  You 
can't  escape ;  I've  got  men  in  the  street,  and  I'm  armed, 
so  hand  it  over." 

My  temper,  never  too  good  at  the  best  of  times,  here 
deserted  me  altogether.  Picking  up  the  poker,  I  made 
a  dash  at  him.  Quick  as  lightning  he  whipped  a 
revolver  from  his  pocket  and  covered  me.  Seeing  him 
about  to  pull  the  trigger,  I  came  to  a  halt.  Before  I 
knew  what  had  happened,  Juanita  had  thrown  herself 
between  us.  He  fired.  Juanita  gave  a  little  cry  and 
fell  at  my  feet.  Mad  with  rage,  I  sprang  over  her 
body  towards  him.  He  fired  again.  I  felt  a  stab  as 
if  a  red-hot  knitting-needle  had  been  run  through  me, 

and  became  unconscious. 

****** 

When  my  senses  came  back  to  me,  I  was  in  the 
Charing  Cross  Hospital,  more  dead  than  alive.  The 
bullet  which  had  brought  me  down  had  been  extracted, 
and  the  police  were  anxiously  waiting  to  examine  me 
as  to  the  reason  of  it  all  One  thing  was  very  certain ; 
the  Albino  had  achieved  his  purpose,  for  the 
locket,  the  cause  of  all  the  trouble,  was  gone. 


CHAPTER    VX 

CONCLUSION. 

HHHREE  days  after  my  meeting  with  Juanita  in 
-*-  Leicester  Square,  I  was  lying  propped  up  in  bed 
in  the  hospital,  feeling  very  weak  and  miserable,  when 
one  of  the  nurses  came  to  tell  me  that  two  visitors  were 
coming  up  to  see  me. 

"  Who  are  they,"  I  asked, — "  men  or  women  ? " 

"  Ladies,"  the  nurse  replied,  as  if  she  were  speaking 

of  a  third  sex.     "  Drove  up  in  their  own  carriage." 

«  Ladies !  "  I  said.     "  Who  can  they  be  ?  " 

Any  further  wonderment  was  put  a  stop  to  by  the 

entrance  of  the  ladies  themselves,  escorted  by  the  house 

surgeon.     Can  you  guess  who  they  were  ?     One  was 

a  lady  I  had  never  seen  before,  a  chaperon,  I  suppose. 

The  other  was — but  there,  I  must  leave  you  to  imagine 

who  alone  would  have  sufficient  pity  to  forget  the  past, 

and  to  come  and  comfort  the  sick  and  sorrowful  ?     It 

was  Maud !     The  Maud  I  had  treated  so  shamefully, 

to  whom  I  had  done  so  great  a  wrong.     I  could  hardly 

believe  my  eyes  1   With  that  exquisite  grace  that  always 

characterized  her  movements,  she  floated  up  the  long 


CONCLUSION.  289 

bare  ward  to  where  I  lay,  bringing  with  her  sunshine 
and  happiness  unspeakable. 

"  Jack,  Jack/'  she  began,  taking  my  great  brown  paw 
between  her  dainty  hands,  "  welcome  home,  ten  thousand 
welcomes  home  I" 

Though  the  words  she  uttered  were  nothing  more 
than  ordinary,  there  was  something  in  the  way  she 
said  them,  that  invested  them  with  a  charm  no  other 
woman  could  have  given  them. 

"  How  did  you  know  I  was  here  ? "  I  asked,  when 
the  first  embarrassment  was  over,  and  she  had  taken 
a  chair  by  my  side. 

"  Papa  saw  it  in  the  paper,"  she  said,  "  and  we  im- 
mediately made  inquiries." 

"  And  you  were  forgiving  enough  to  come  and  see 
me.  Oh,  Maud,  how  little  I  deserve  it  I " 

"Hush,  you  mustn't  talk  like  that.  Of  course  I 
could  not  let  you  lie  here  without  coming  to  you.  Some 
people  might  be  shocked  at  the  idea  of  a  young  lady 
visiting  a  gentleman  in  a  hospital.  But  I  do  what  I 
think  right  myself.  Now,  the  doctor  tells  me  you  are 
better,  and  will  soon  be  able  to  come  out  Directly 
you  are  ready,  you  must  come  to  us." 

"  Come  to  you,  Maud  ?  Your  father  would  never 
allow  that." 

"  Papa  wishes  it  as  much  as  I  do,  so  be  quick  and 
get  well.  I  have  such  a  lot  to  tell  you,  and  messages 
to  give  you,  Jack,  from  your  poor  dear  mother.  I  was 
with  her  till  the  last/' 

14 1  guessed  you  would  be.     Poor  mother  I  * 


290  IN  STRANGE   COMPANY. 

We  were  both  silent  for  a  minute,  then  I  said — 

"  Maud,  can  you  tell  me  one  thing  ?  How  is  the 
woman  who  was  found  in  the  room  with  me  ?  " 

"Dead,  Jack.  She  died  while  the  police  were 
examining  her  this  morning." 

The  shock  was  almost  too  much  for  me.  It  was 
some  time  before  I  could  realize  it. 

"  Dead  ?  Oh,  poor  Juanita !  Then  her  wish  was 
gratified  after  all  She  gave  her  life  for  mine.  Maud, 
there  is  the  end  of  a  tragedy.  Poor  Juanita  I " 

"  Don't  think  of  it  for  the  present,  Jack.  Wait  till 
you  are  stronger.  I  must  go  soon,  or  the  doctor  will 
say  I'm  keeping  you  from  getting  well." 

"Nonsense,  your  presence  will  do  me  more  good 
than  all  his  drugs  put  together.  Forgive  me  one 
question." 

"  A  hundred.     What  is  this  one  ?  * 

"Maud,"  I  asked,  almost  afraid,  "you  are  not 
married  ? " 

She  shook  her  head  a  little  sadly,  I  thought.  Oh, 
if  I  could  only  find  the  pluck  to  put  another  !  I  would 
try,  at  any  rate. 

"  Maud,  have  you  only  come  here  in  pity,  or  do  you 
— do  you " 

She  must  have  divined  what  I  meant,  perhaps  she 
read  it  in  my  eyes,  for  a  great  blush  spread  over  hei 
face,  as  she  bent  towards  me  and  whispered — 

"  How  cruel  of  you,  Jack,  to  make  me  say  it  I  I  am 
here  because  I  love  y  >u, — because  I  love  you  !  ° 

My  emotiGn  was   so  great  that  I  could  not  speak. 


CONCLUSION.  291 

My  eyes  overflowed  with  tears;  I  could  feel  them 
coursing  down  ray  cheeks.  The  doctor  and  nurse  had 
taken  the  chaperon  to  the  other  end  of  the  ward,  and 
as  I  had  a  screen  round  my  bed,  we  were  quite  alone. 
At  last  I  found  my  voice. 

"  Maud,"  I  faltered,  "  I  am  not  worthy  of  you,  my 
dear,  I  am  not  worthy.  You  do  not  know  what  my 
life  has  been." 

What  she  said  in  reply  has  no  business  here  but  I 
know  that  it  acted  on  me  like  a  magic  potion.  When 
she  went  away,  I  only  let  her  go  on  the  strict  under- 
standing that  she  should  come  again  as  soon  as  she 
could  spare  the  time.  After  the  door  had  closed  on  her. 
it  was  as  though  all  the  sunshine  had  gone  out  of 
the  ward;  but  she  had  left  behind  in  my  heart  a 
greater  happiness  than  I  had  ever  known  before,  one 
that  can  never  leave  me  again  as  long  as  1  live  to 
feel  it 

A  little  later  the  doctor  came  to  examine  me.  He 
was  struck  by  the  improvement  in  my  condition. 

"  Why,  man,  what  on  earth  have  you  been  doing  to 
yourself?"  he  asked.  "You're  a  hundred  per  cent, 
better  than  you  were  when  I  saw  you  last" 

"  Happiness,  doctor,"  I  answered.  "  I  have  had  some 
news  which  has  done  me  more  good  than  anything 
your  science  could  prescribe  f<T  me." 

11  It  looks  like  it,"  he  said,  and  went  on  to  the  next 
bed  laughing. 

But  though  my  heart  was  full  of  joy  because  I  knew 
that  Maud  still  loved  me,  it  was  not  unmixed  with  a 


292  IN    STRANGE   COMPANY. 

feeling  of  sorrow.  In  the  first  place,  I  knew  in  my  heart 
of  hearts  that  I  was  not  worthy  of  my  darling's  love ; 
and  in  the  second,  how  was  I,  a  pauper,  to  a«vk  her  to 
be  my  wife  ?  My  fortune,  if  it  had  ever  been  a  fortune, 
had  been  stolen  from  me,  and  even  if  I  returned  to 
my  old  profession,  the  sea,  I  should  stand  but  a  poor 
chance  of  ever  making  enough  to  justify  me  in  asking 
Sir  Benjamin  for  her  hand.  Consideration  of  these 
things  was,  however,  postponed  for  the  present  by  the 
arrival  of  the  police  and  a  magistrate,  to  take  my 
deposition  for  use  at  the  inquest  on  poor  Juanita's 
body.  She,  brave  soul,  had  sacrificed  herself  for  me, 
and  it  should  go  hard  if  any  exertion  on  my  part 
should  be  wanting  to  bring  her  murderer  to  justice. 
In  the  evening  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  hearing  that 
a  verdict  of  wilful  murder  had  been  returned  against 
John  Macklin,  and  that  a  warrant  was  already  out  for 
his  arrest. 

By  special  favour,  Maud  was  permitted  to  see  me 
every  other  day,  until  I  was  in  a  condition  to  be  moved. 
When  that  happy  moment  arrived,  she  herself  came  to 
escort  me.  The  carriage  was  at  the  great  hospital  door, 
and  in  it  we  set  out  for  Holland  Park. 

When  we  rea.ched  the  house,  who  should  open  the 
door  but  Sir  Benjamin  himself!  His  welcome  could  not 
have  been  more  cordial  had  I  been  his  own  son  return- 
ing after  an  absence  of  many  years.  On  his  arm  I 
entered  the  house,  tenderly  watched  by  Maud.  We 
passed  into  the  drawing-room,  and  I  was  soon  seated 
in  a  comfortable  chair  before  the  fire. 


CONCLUSION.  293 

"Sit  yourself  down,  my  dear  boy,"  Sir  Benjamin  said, 
"  and  you'll  just  take  a  glass  of  wine  and  a  biscuit 
before  you  do  another  thing.  I  prescribe  it  myself, 
and  surely  I  ought  to  know.  Hum,  ha  I  Maud,  my 
dear,  God  bless  you." 

I  never  remember  having  seen  Sir  Benjamin  so  much 
affected  before.  Tears  stood  in  his  eyes,  and  his  hand 
trembled  so  violently  that  it  was  as  much  as  he  could 
do  to  pour  out  the  wine  for  me.  Dear  old  man,  I  had 
always  misjudged  his  affection  for  myself,  though  why 
he  should  have  felt  any  was  a  thing  which,  personally,  I 
could  never  understand. 

It  was  not  till  after  lunch  that  I  got  an  opportunity 
of  a  private  conversation  with  him.  Then,  as  I  had 
made  up  my  mind  I  would,  I  told  him  my  whole  story, 
from  the  time  of  my  leaving  England  on  my  last 
voyage,  up  to  the  present  moment.  As  my  yarn 
progressed,  I  was  alarmed  at  the  change  in  his  face. 
From  its  usual  rosy  hue  its  colour  passed  to  an  extra- 
ordinary pallor,  and  when  I  reached  the  account  of  my 
scene  with  Juanita,  and  my  attempted  assassination, 
with  the  robbery  of  the  locket,  I  thought  he  would 
have  fainted.  He  gasped —  Bancroft 

"You  say  that  Marmaduke,  my  nephew,  gave  you 
that  locket  containing  the  piece  of  paper  ? " 

"  Yes,  and  bound  me  by  a  promise  that  I  would  not 
open  it  till  I  had  been  a  month  in  London." 

"  Then,  John,  God  forgive  me,  I  have  done  you  an 
awful  injury.  I  have,  unconsciously  it  is  true,  robbed 
you  of  £200,000!" 


294  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"What!"  I  cried,  in  my  turn  astonished  by  his 
words.  "What  had  you  to  do  with  that  affair?" 

"I  was  the  custodian  of  it;  my  nephew  sent  it  home 
to  me  from  Chili  to  keep  for  him,  with  the  proviso  that 
if  ever  he  should  send  a  messenger  for  it,  bearing  a  certain 
piece  of  paper,  I  should  give  him  whatever  amount, 
even  up  to  the  entire  sum,  he  should  ask  of  me." 

"  And  that  messenger  ?  " 

"  Came  the  same  day  that  we  heard  of  your  accident, 
and  brought  the  scrap  of  paper;  he  said  my  nephew 
was  in  great  danger,  and  wanted  his  money  imme- 
diately ;  he  took  away  my  cheque  for  £200,000  and 
accumulated  interest,  and,  as  I  have  found  out  by 
inquiry,  cashed  it  the  same  morning.  By  this  time  he 
has  probably  left  the  country  I " 

"  What  was  he  like,  this  messenger  ?  " 

"  Well,  he  was  the  most  extraordinary  little  man  I 
ever  set  eyes  on.  He  was  a  deformed  Albino." 

"  The  Albino  !  Then  you've  seen  the  murderer — the 
man  who  killed  Juanita,  and  attempted  to  do  the  same 
for  me." 

"  Good  heavens  !     What's  to  be  done  now  ?  " 

"  Nothing  that  I  can  see.  The  police  are  searching 
high  and  low  for  him.  We  can't  recover  the  money, 
for  we  haven't  the  vestige  of  a  right  to  it.  You  must 
remember  it  was  to  be  the  property  of  whosoever 
brought  you  the  paper.  The  Albino  brought  it,  and 
he  has  got  it.  We  must  grin  and  bear  our  loss.  You 
are  not  a  bit  to  blame,  Sir  Benjamin." 

I  saw  that  he  felt  he  had  injured  me,  and  to  try 


CONCLUSION.  295 

and  drive  the  subject  from  his  mind,  I  spoke  to  him 
of  my  views  regarding  Maud.  In  a  second  he  was 
another  man. 

"  Jack,  my  boy,  God  bless  you  for  that  idea !  My 
carelessness,  though  certainly  I  did  not  know  any 
better,  has  deprived  you  of  great  wealth ;  now  I  can 
make  up  for  it.  You  love  Maud.  Maud  has  never 
wavered  in  her  affection  for  you.  I'm  not  going  to  ask 
what  your  life  has  been  since  you  left  us,  because  I 
trust  to  your  honour  not  to  ask  me  for  my  girl  if 
there's  anything  against  it.  On  the  point  of  money 
we'll  split  the  difference,  and  on  your  wedding-day  I'll 
make  you  a  present  of  a  cheque  for  £100,000.  Will 
that  suit  you  ? " 

"  No,  Sir  Benjamin,  I  cannot  let  you  do  it  If  when 
I'm  strong  enough  youll  help  me  to  some  appointment 
which  will  enable  me  to  support  Maud  in  a  proper 
manner,  I  should  be  just  as  grateful.  But  I  can't  take 
your  money  in  compensation  for  what  was  not  your 
fault" 

"  It  shan't  be  in  compensation  then,  it  shall  be  as  a 
free  gift.  See,  here  is  Maud  ;  if  you  want  to  talk  about 
it,  let  it  be  to  her.  I  must  go  into  town,  and  find  out 
if  the  police  have  discovered  anything  regarding  that 
Albino." 

With  this  excuse  the  old  gentleman  hobbled  out  of 
the  room,  and  I  was  left  alone  with  Maud.  When  I 
told  her  of  her  father's  generosity  she  became  very 
silent,  and  her  dear  eyes  fil'ed  with  tears,  but  you  may 
be  sure  they  were  not  tears  of  sorrow. 


296  IN   STRANGE   COMPANY. 

"There's  one  thing  I  want  to  tell  you,  Jack,n  she 
said.  "  I  asked  papa  to  undertake  on  your  behalf  the 
funeral  of  that  poor  woman.  He  did  so,  and  now  she 
has  a  quiet  resting-place  in  Wendthrop  churchyard, 
under  the  great  yew-tree  near  the  lych-gate.  I  knew 
you  would  like  to  think  she  had  been  given  a  proper 
burial  Some  day  we  will  go  together,  and  see  the 
grave  of  the  woman  who  sacrificed  her  life  in  such  a 
noble  way.  We  must  never  forget  her  nobility,  Jack." 

"  No,  dear,  pray  God  we  never  may  !  Poor  Juanita, 
her  troubled  life  is  over  I  Surely  all  her  sins  have  been 
atoned  for  by  her  last  act  of  self-sacrifice !" 

And  so  it  came  to  pass,  a  month  or  two  later,  when 
summer  was  on  the  land,  that  we  twain,  as  man  and 
wife,  went  down  together  to  the  little  village,  in  the 
churchyard  of  which  Juanita  takes  her  last  long  sleep. 
It  was  evening,  the  after-glow  of  sunset  was  still  upon 
the  sky,  and  bats  were  flitting  hither  and  thither 
among  the  tombs.  In  the  dip  below  the  churchyard 
the  dear  old  river  ran  its  silent  course  towards  the  sea ; 
a  faint  chattering  sounded  from  the  rooks  in  the  elms 
above  us,  and  across  the  meadows  came  the  gentle 
tinkling  of  cattle-bells.  We  passed  through  God's 
acre  to  the  old  yew-tree,  beneath  whose  ample  shade 
a  grave  was  just  beginning  to  show  signs  of  the  care 
that  had  been  bestowed  upon  it. 

Hand  in  hand  we  stood  beside  it,  thinking  of  the 
woman  whose  body  lay  beneath  us.  In  my  thoughts 
I  was  far  away  from  England.  Thursday  Island  rose 
before  my  eyes ;  the  bay  dotted  with  shipping,  clouds 


CONCLUSION.  297 

upon  the  hill-tops,  the  noise  of  the  surf  upon  the 
beach,  the  rustling  of  palra-trees,  and  Juanita's  laughter 
ringing  from  the  Orient  Plotel. 

Before  we  caine  away  we  made  a  resolve  that  once 
every  year,  as  long  as  we  two  should  live,  we  would 
repeat  the  visit.  The  grave  will  be  our  constant  care. 
For  in  that  way  alone  can  we  show  our  gratitude  to  the 
woman  whose  resting-place  it  is. 

But  to  return  to  a  more  cheerful  topic.  My  long 
story  is  fast  drawing  to  a  close,  and,  as  I  don't  doubt, 
you  will  say  it  is  about  time.  But  there  are  two  more 
circumstances  of  importance  to  be  recorded  before  I 
can  with  satisfaction  call  a  halt. 

The  first  is  the  matter  of  my  marriage.  But  when  I 
tell  you  that  it  only  happened  a  couple  of  months  ago, 
you  will  see  that  I  am  hardly  in  a  position  yet  to 
describe  it  with  the  care  such  an  important  event  de- 
mands. Suffice  it  then  that  it  took  place  at  the  parish 
church  without  any  ostentation  or  fuss.  I'm  not  going 
to  tell  you  how  Maud  looked  in  her  wedding-dress, 
because  I  was  far  too  nervous  to  find  that  out  for  myself. 
A  tiny  cousin  acted  as  he>  Bridesmaid,  and  an  old  sea 
friend  was  good  enough  to  officiate  as  my  best  man. 

After  the  ceremony,  which  took  place  in  the  after- 
noon, we  drove  back  to  the  house,  where  Maud  held  a 
little  reception;  and  here  occurred  the  second  event  to 
which  I  desire  to  draw  your  attention. 

Among  the  guests  who  came  to  offer  their  con- 
gratulations were  two  people  whom  I  had  seen  before 
under  very  different  circumstances.  That  they  had  not 


298  IN    STRANGE    COMPANY. 

recognized  my  connection  with  that  affair  was  evident. 
So  waiting  my  opportunity,  I  took  Maud  on  my  arm, 
and  bidding  her  listen,  approached  the  lady,  saying 
politely — 

"  I  think  we  have  met  before  ! " 

She  stared  in  blank  surprise,  grew  very  confused, 
and  at  last  replied — 

"I'm  afraid  you  must  be  mistaken,  Mr.  Ramsay ;  I 
don't  think  I  have  ever  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you 
before!" 

"  And  yet  I  think  I  carried  you  in  my  anus  once, 
and  for  a  considerable  distance  ! " 

"You,  Mr.  Ramsay?  Surely  you  must  be  mistaken  ! 
Pray  tell  me  when." 

"In  Australia.  You  were  staying  at  the  Federation 
Hotel  the  night  it  caught  fire.  A  fireman  carried  you 
down  a  ladder  in  his  arms ! " 

"  Good  gracious !     You  were  not  that  fireman  ?  " 

"  I  was,  though  please  say  nothing  about  it.  If  yon 
do,  I  shall  be  sorry  I  recalled  the  circumstance  to  your 
memory. 

"But  you  saved  my  life.  Oh,  where  is  my  husband  ? 
I  must  tell  him.  Maud,  do  you  hear  what  Mr.  Ramsay 
says?" 

"Yes,  I  have  heard  about  it  before,  and  I  am  very 
proud  of  him,"  said  Maud  ;  and  that  little  sentence  was 
more  than  sufficient  praise  for  me. 

Next  moment  Major  Welbourne — for  he  was  Major 
DOW — was  overwhelming  me  with  protestations  of  grati- 
tude, and  I  was  bitterly  regretting  having  said  anything 


CONCLUSION.  299 

about  the  matter.  But  for  all  that  it  was  a  strange 
coincidence,  wasn't  it  ? 

As  soon  as  the  reception  was  over,  we  bade  Sir 
Benjamin  good-bye,  and  started  for  Southsea,  en 
route  to  the  Isle  of  Wight,  where,  as  the  guests  of  Llr. 
Sanctuary,  Maud's  cousin,  we  proposed  to  spend  our 
honeymoon, 

It  is  under  his  hospitable  roof  that  this  account  of 
my  strange  adventures  has  been  written,  and  now 
comes  to  a  conclusion. 

I  am  loth  to  say  "  farewell,"  but  what  more  can  I 
tell  you  ?  Only  the  other  day  I  discovered  that  Brad- 
shaw  the  banker,  whose  embezzlement  was  the  primary 
cause  of  all  the  trouble,  had  the  misfortune  to  be  extra- 
dited soon  after  the  JOSH  of  ai«  money,  and  now  occupies 
a  cell  in  one  of  her  Majnow/ft  ^mina!  lunatic  asylums. 
Of  the  ill-fated  pair  who  left  Valparaiso  in  the  schooner 
hlaiid  Queen,  Veneda  lies  buried  on  an  island  off  the 
Sumatra  coast,  Juanita  in  an  English  churchyard.  So 
far  nothing  has  been  heard  of  the  Albino.  Despite  his 
extraordinary  personality,  which,  one  would  be  tempted 
to  believe,  would  render  it  the  more  difficult  for  him 
to  escape,  he  has  succeeded  in  completely  baffling  the 
police.  Whether  I  shall  ever  hear  of  him  again  is  a 
matter  outside  my  power  to  tell,  but  that  he  will  sonir 
day  overreach  himself,  and  suffer  the  penalty  of  hi* 
crimes,  I  am  aa  certain  as  that  I  am  one  of  the  happiest 
of  men  to-day.  And  nothing  can  be  more  certain  than 
that ! 

And  with  the  assurance  of  that  fact  I  bring  my  story 


30O  IN   STRANGE  COMPANY. 

to  a  close.  My  only  hope  is  that  I  may  be  permitted 
to  be  the  husband  to  Maud  that  she  deserves ;  and  my 
only  regret  is  that  I  cannot  prove  myself  better  worthy 
of  her  love.  Surely  a  life  devoted  to  achieving  both 
these  ends  cannot  be  altogether  spent  in  vain ! 


THE  END. 


LIST  OF  NEW  BOOKS 

By  MAURICE  THOMPSON. 

A  Banker  of  Bankersville.  I2mo,  323  pages.  Cloth 
binding.  5°c- 

A  thoroughly  American  story  of  stirring  events  in  a  Western 
*'boom"  city.  For  a  vivid  pen  picture  of  real  life  arid  romance  in  a 
hustling  little  Western  metropolis,  with  sufficient  love  and  humor  to 
make  the  book  interesting,  we  would  commend  "A  Banker  of 
Bankersville." 

By  F.  FRANKFORT  MOORE* 

I  Forbid  the  Banns*  The  story  of  a  comedy  which  was 
played  seriously.  I2mo,  404  pages.  Cloth  bind- 
ing. 5°c- 

The  hero  and  heroine  meet  on  a  vessel  returning  to  England  from 
Australia  and  learn  to  love  each  other.  The  girl  is  rich  and  beautiful, 
and  does  not  believe  in  the  rite  of  marriage.  After  much  thinking, 
the  man  agrees  to  take  her  to  his  home  without  a  marriage  ceremony. 
The  consequences  of  the  departure  from  custom  makes  an  interesting 
and  instructive  story. 

By  W.  E.  NORRIS. 
His  Grace*     I2mo,  278  pages.     Cloth  binding.      5<Dc. 

"  Mr.  Norris  has  never  written  a  better  novel  than  this,  which  deals 
with  English  life  and  its  remedy  for  debts— marriage  to  a  rich  wife— 
though  His  Grace,  being  obstinate,  weds  a  poor  girl.  The  characters 
are  all  distinctly  drawn,  and  the  plot  is  well  proportioned  and  its 
movement  easy  — Boston  Literary  World. 

By  ALEXANDRE  DUMAS. 

D'Artagnan,  the  King  Maker.  Illustrated.  I2mo, 
308  pages.  Cloth  binding.  $1.00 

An  old  Dumas  story,  but  quite  new  to  the  American  public.  The 
history  surrounding  this  peculiar  state  of  affairs  is  too  long  to 
repeat  here:  but  it  is  an  absolute  fact  that  no  translation  of  "The 
Kingmaker  "  has  ever  before  appeared  in  English.  The  plot  of  the 
story  hinges  upon  the  mission  of  D'Artagnan,  the  Kingmaker,  who  is 
dispatched  to  Portugal,  then  in  the  grip  of  Spain.  He  discovers  Port- 
ugal a  slumbering  volcano,  and  in  a  little  while  he  is  trying  the 
temper  of  his  blade  right  and  loft.  D'Artagnan,  the  dauntless,  tem- 
porarily changes  places  with  Don  Juan,  the  somewhat  timid  aspirant 
to  the  throne  ;  and  after  a  hundred  well-fought  fights  and  a  display  of 
heroism  that  dazzled  the  populace,  he  has  the  satisfaction  of  hearing 
Don  Juan  proclaimed  King  of  Portugal.  It  is  a  thrilling  story,  in 
which  the  clash  of  arms  blends  with  the  soft  tones  of  lovely  women, 
and  the  amorous  speeches  of  the  susceptible  D'Artagnan.  The  book 
is  splendidly  illustrated  by  Charles  Grunwald. 

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LIST  OF  NEW  BOOKS 

By  OUIDA  (Louise  de  la  Rame). 
Santa  Barbara*   I2mo,  303  pages.    Cloth  binding.   500. 

In  this  collection  of  the  gems  of  Ouida's  storiettes,  the  author  takes 
the  reader  to  the  fog-bound  shores  of  the  Adriatic,  along  enchanting 
wharves  and  quays,  through  gorgeous  palaces  and  cathedrals,  and 
introduces  the  most  charming  characters  in  fiction. 

The  Tower  of  Taddeo*      I2mo,  ^13  pages.       Cloth 
binding.  500. 

This  is  a  pathetic  story  of  an  old  bookseller  who,  having  no  idea  of 
money,  gathers  treasures  of  old  books,  which,  with  the  extravagance 
,  of  an  ungrateful  son,  ruins  him.  He  has  a  daughter  who  lives,  loves 
and  cares  for  him,  who  becomes  betrothed  to  a  poor  artist.  It  is  a  story 
of  simple  trusting  ignorance  on  the  one  hand  and  grasping  dishonesty 
on  the  other. 

By  J.  MACLAREN  COBBAN. 
A  Soldier  and  a  Gentleman*    I2mo,  211  pages.    Cloth 
binding.  500. 

The  hero  is  a  manly  youth,  who  has  seen  service  in  the  English 
army,  and  who,  upon  his  return  to  a  civilian's  life,  finds  himself  rather 
out  of  his  element  and  extremely  hard  up.  For  a  consideration,  he 
agrees  to  represent  another  persoiv,  ^~d  *'r  *:*?.'=  ^mpromising  position 
makes  love  to  a  pretty,  and,  at  the  same  time,  wealthy  young  womax 
How  he  proves  himself  to  be  a  Soldier  and  a  Gentleman  must  be  left 
to  the  reader  to  discover. 

By  EDWARD  W.  TOWNSEND. 

A  Daughter  of  the  Tenements.     121110,  301   pages. 
Cloth  binding.  500. 

This  work  is  the  master  product  of  the  author  of  "Chimmie 
Fadden."  In  "Chimmie  Fadden,"  we  laugh  at  the  humor  of  East-side 
life.  In  "A  Daughter  of  the  Tenements,"  we  have  the  real  pathos 
and  tragedy  of  life  in  the  tenements  of  New  York,  written  by  owe 
who  knows  the  people  and  their  ways  and  hearts,  and  how  to  write  it 
all—  as  no  one  has  ever  known  and  written  of  that  district  before. 

By  BILLY  BURGUNDY* 

Toothsome  Tales  Told  in  Slang.    Illustrated.     i6mo, 
120  pages.     Cloth  binding.  750. 

lives    of   fascinating 
e  yarns  are  dainty, 

sometimes  humorously  pathetic,  sometimes  uproariously  funny,  but 
always  delightful.  "  One  begins  the  book  with  a  smile,  and  puts  it 
away  with  a  number  one  size  laugh,  and  a  feeling  that  it  has  been 
worth  while  to  cultivate  the  acquaintance  of  Billy  Burgundy's  slang 
of  the  Rialto." 

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Here   are   vivid    pages    from    the    everyday  li 
omen  before  and  behind  the  foot-lights.     The 


WORKS  BY  HENRY  HARLAND 

Mrs*  Peixada.    I2mo,  317  pages.    Cloth  binding.     750. 

The  hero,  a  young  lawyer  whose  first  case  is  the  tracking  of  Mrs. 
Peixada,  a  charming  woman  of  about  twenty-three  summers,  accused 
of  shooting  her  husband.  The  plot  is  as  peculiar  as  that  of  "As  It 
Was  Written."  The  denouement  is  a  thorough  surprise 

Mademoiselle  Miss,  and  other  stories.  i2mo,  192  pages- 
Cloth  binding.  750. 

The  title-story  of  the  present  volume,  as  well  as  those  which  follow 
it,  shows  the  same  clear  insight  into  character,  the  same  strength  and 
delicacy  of  description,  and  the  same  faculty  of  individualizing  the 
personages  of  the  narrative,  as  are  manifest  in  Mr.  Harland's  previous 
work. 

Mea  Culpa — A  Woman's  Last  Word.  1 2mo,  347  pages. 
Cloth  binding.  750. 

To  save  her  father,  a  woman  marries  a  European  prince.  It  is  a 
loveless  marriage  and  the  life  is  a  bitter  one.  A  former  lover  appears  ; 
there  i.s  a  duel  ;  the  prince  dies.  Then,  instead  of  marriage  bells,  there 
is  the  sadness  of  farewell.  The  lover  feels  himself  a  murderer  and 
takes  his  own  life  in  an  agony  of  despair. 

The  Yoke  of  the  Thorah.  I2mo,  320  pages.  Cloth 
binding.  750. 

Two  lovers  were  to  be  married  in  the  spring.  That  one  was  a  Jew 
and  the  other  a  Christian  didn't  seem  to  matter.  But  the  God  of 
Israel  intervenes  through  a  venerable  rabbi,  and  a  struggle  begins 
between  hope  and  doubt.  The  story  is  taken  up  with  the  attempts  of 
the  lovers  to  come  together  and  the  plans  of  the  elders  to  keep  them 
separate. 

As  it  "Was  Written — A  Jewish  Musician's  Story.  1 2mo, 
252  pages.  Cloth  binding.  750. 

"As  It  Was  Written"  is  the  confession  of  a  man  who,  under  peculiar 
circumstances,  murders  the  woman  he  loves  and  then  gives  himself 
up  to  the  punishment  that  the  terrible  crime  demands. 

Grandison  Mather — An  account  of  the  fortunes  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Thomas  Gardner.  I2mo,  338  pages.  Cloth 
binding.  75C. 

The  opening  chapter  gives  a  sunny  picture  of  Tom's  vacation  in 
Paris,  after  finishing  his  college  course,  and  his  courtship  of  "Mrs. 
Tom."  After  many  experiences  Tom  writes  a  successful  novel  and 
makes  some  money.  The  story  is  a  simple  every-day  one  throughout 
and  is  charmingly  told.  It  is  full  of  graphic  pictures  of  New  York  life. 

A  Latin-Quarter  Courtship,  and  other  stories.  I2mo, 
269  pages.  Cloth  binding.  75c. 

The  first  story  covers  190  pages,  and  is  a  charmingly  told  tale  of 
life  and  love  in  Paris,  in  which  the  actors  are  an  American  woman 
doctor,  her  friend  a  young  French  girl,  and  an  American  author.  The 
two  latter,  of  course,  fall  in  love  with  each  other. 

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WORKS  BY  AMEDEE  ACHARD 

This  author  is  not  as  familiar  to  American  and  English  readers  as 
the  merit  of  his  work  would  warrant,  but  it  is  a  positive  pleasure  to 
exploit  the  writings  of  one  so  well  equipped  for  a  foremost  position  in 
the  school  of  which  Alexandre  Dumas,  Theophile  Gautier  and  Stanley 
J.  Weyman  are  the  accepted  standards.  Mons.  Achard's  works  are 
popular  favorites  with  the  French  people,  and  the  excellent  trans- 
lations of  his  best  novels  which  we  are  presenting  to  the  public  in 
moderate-priced  editions  cannot  fail  to  please  and  satisfy  all  lovers 
of  ;'The  Three  Musketeers,"  and  works  of  like  tenor. 

die.  Rose — A  Romance  of  the  Cloak  and  Sword. 
Translated  by  William  Hale,  with  a  biography  of 
the  author.  Five  full -page  illustrations.  I2mo, 
368  pages.  Cloth  binding.  $1.25 

"Belle-Rose"  is  a  romance  in  which  the  hero  undertakes  and  con- 
qiiers  all  manner  of  difficulties  for  the  love  of  a  woman.  The  author 
throws  the  glamour  of  love  and  war  over  all,  introducing  such  cele- 
brated characters  in  history  as  to  give  it  an  air  of  reality. 

The  Dragoons  of  La  Guerche — A  Sequel  to  "The 
Huguenot's  Love."  Translated  by  Richard  Duffy. 
Five  full-page  illustrations.  12010,  358  pages. 
Cloth  binding.  $1.25 

Although  "The  Huguenot's  Love"  is  so  complete  and  fascinating  a 
sfcory  in  itself,  the  sequel  is  bound  to  prove  a  still  greater  satisfaction 
to  the  reader.  In  "The  Dragoons  of  La  Guerche"  we  find  the  two 
heroes  of  the  former  tale  riding  at  the  head  of  their  band  of  cavalry 
through  the  most  hostile  territory  of  Europe  in  the  quest  of  the  two 
fair  women  they  loved. 

The  Sword  of  a  Gascon*  Translated  by  William 
Hale.  Five  full-page  illustrations.  I2mo,  289  pages. 
Cloth  binding.  .  $1.25 

This  story  of  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV.  is  a  typical  "romance  of  the 
cloak  and  sword."  The  Gascon  hero  is  bold  and  daring,  like  all  those 
of  his  race.  He  is  an  accomplished  swordsman,  a  gallant  cavalier, 
who  pays  court  to  an  inn-keeper's  daughter  or  the  niece  of  a  cardinal 
with  equal  grace  and  equa,  success. 

The  Huguenot's  Love*  Translated  by  Richard  Duffy. 
Five  full-page  illustrations.  I2mo,  }}}  pages.  Cloth 
binding.  $1.25 

In  this  volume  the  gifted  author  gives  a  splendid  picture  of  the 
religious  strife  which  paralyzed  all  Europe  in  the  middle  of  the 
seventeenth  centtiry.  The  two  main  characters  are  in  religion  ene- 
mies, but  persona  ly  the  dearest  of  friends.  They  are  valiant  French- 
men, who  under  the  standard  of  Gustavus  Adolphus,  engaged  in  the 
immortal  Thirty  Years'  War.  Their  sweethearts  follow  them  in  their 
expedition  and  incur  some  marvelous  adventures. 

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THE    SEASHORE    AND 
MOUNTAIN    SERIES 

A  NEW  SERIES  OF  12MO 

Handsomely  bound  in  cloth,  stamped  in  colors 
Price,  per  volume,  Fifty  Cents 

Heir  of  Linne,  The Robert  Buchanan 

Her  Faithful  Knight Gertrude  Warden 

His  Word  of  Honor .E.  Werner 

In  the  Golden  Days- Edna   Lyall 

In  the  Roar  of  the  Sea S.  Baring:  Gould 

In  Strange  Company Guy  Boothby 

Kidnapped Robert  Louis  Stevenson 

Little  Cuban  Rebel,  The Edna   Winfield 

Living  or  Dead Hugh   Conway 

Lorna  Doone R»  D.  Blackmore 

Lucky  Young  Woman,  A R  C*  Philips 

Man  in  Possession "  Rita  " 

Master  of  Ballantrae,  The  •  •  •  •  Robert  Louis  Stevenson 

Master  of  the  Mine,  The Robert  Buchanan 

Miss  Kate "Rita" 

Mr.  Meeson's  Will H,  Rider  Haggard 

Nobler  Sex,  The Florence   Marryat 

Of  the  World,  Worldly Mrs.  Forrester 

Perilous  Secret,  A Charles  Reade 

Price  He  Paid,  The E*  Werner 

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THE    SEASHORE    AND 
MOUNTAIN    SERIES 

A   NEW  SERIES  OF  12MO 

Handsomely  bound  in  cloth,  stamped  in  colors 
Price,  per  volume,  Fifty  Cents 

Averil Rosa  Nouchette  Carey 

Bam  Wildfire Helen  B.  Mathers 

Black  Rock Ralph  Connor 

Beatrice  H*  Rider  Haggard 

Bondman,  The Hall  Caine 

Black  Carnation,  The Fergus  Hume 

Cardinal  Sin,  A Hugh  Conway 

Consequences Egerton  Castle 

Cruise  of  the  Cachelot,  The .  -  Frank  T.  Bullen 

Dead  Secret,  The Wiikie  Collins 

Difficult  Matter,  A Mrs*  Emily  Lovett  Cameron 

Doctor  Jack St.  George  Rathborne 

Dugdale  Millions,  The Barclay  North 

Facing  the  Footlights Florence  Marryat 

Fatal  Silence,  A Florence  Marryat 

Fever  of  Life,  The Fergus  Hume 

First  Violin,  The Jessie  Fothergill 

Frozen  Pirate,  The W.  Clark  Russell 

Gentleman  from  Gascony,  A .  Bicknell  Dudley 
Heaps  of  Money W*  E»  Norris 

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The  Rockspur  Athletic  Series 

BY  GILBERT  PATTEN 

The  series  consists  of  three  bocks,  each  being  a  good  clean  story  of 
athletic  training,  sports  and  contests,  such  as  interest  every  healthy, 
growing  boy  of  to-day. 

While  aiming  to  avoid  the  extravagant  and  sensational,  the  stories 
contain  enough  thrilling  incidents  to  please  the  lad  who  loves  action 
and  adventure.  From  the  beginning,  The  Boys  of  Rockspur  work  step 
by  step  toward  the  grand  consummation  of  their  desires,  the  building 
and  fitting  of  a  club  house  and  gymnasium,  a  result  that  is  finally 
accomplished;  but,  in  the  meantime,  they  have  many  trials,  jeal- 
ousies, heartburnings  and  defeats,  enemies  and  traitors  in  their  own 
ranks,  making  the  struggle  harder  and  the  victory  sweeter.  The 
description  of  their  Baseball  and  Football  Games  and  other  contests 
with  rival  clubs  and  teams  make  very  exciting  and  absorbing  reading  ; 
and  few  boys  with  warm  blood  in  their  veins,  having  once  begun  the 
perusal  of  one  of  these  books,  will  willingly  lay  it  down  till  it  is 
finished. 

\ — The  Rockspur  Nine*    A  story  of  Baseball. 
2— The  Rockspur  Eleven.    A  Story  of  Football. 
3— The  Rockspur  Rivals*  A  Story  of  Winter  Sports. 
Each  volume  contains  about  300  pages,  I2mo  in 
size,  cloth  binding,  per  volume,  $1.00 

THE  FRANK  MERRIWELL  SERIES 

BY  BURT  L.  STANDISH 

For  a  great  number  of  years  Frank  Merriwell  has  been  a  name  to 
conjure  with  among  the  boys  of  America.  Frank,  with  his  chums, 
has  been  deservedly  popular,  but  his  adventures  and  achievements 
have  never  before  been  published  in  book  form.  It  was  in  response 
to  a  clamorous  demand  for  the  Frank  Merriwell  stories  in  this  form 
that  this  series  was  prepared.  These  are  unique  among  boys'  books  ; 
indeed,  so  filled  are  they  with  incident  and  action  of  every  kind  that 
it  would  be  impossible  to  give  here  any  adequate  idea  of  what  they 
contain.  Frank  Merriwell  was  no  ordinary  boy,  and  it  falls  to  the  lot 
of  very  few  fellows  to  have  as  much  fun  and  strenupusness  crowded 
into  his  school  life  as  will  be  found  in  this  all-absorbing  history. 

The  first  titles  in  the  series  are  : 

Frank  Merriwell's  School  Days*     Illustrated.     I2mo, 

302  pages.     Cloth  binding.  $1.00 

Frank  Merriwell's Chums.  Illustrated.  1 21110,302  pages. 

Cloth  binding.     (In  press.)  $1.00 

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THE   SEASHORE   AND 
MOUNTAIN   SERIES 

A    NEW    SERIES    OF    12MO 

Handsomely   bound  in   cloth,   stamped   in  colors 
Price,  per  volume,  Fifty  Cents 

Ralph  Ryder  of  Brent Florence  Warden 

She  Fell  in  Love  With  Her 

Husband E»  Werner 

Should  She  Have  Left  Him?.  .Barclay  North 

Splendid  Spur,  The "Q"  A.  T.  Quiller  Couch 

Stormy  Wedding-,  A Mary  E»  Bryan 

That   Beautiful  Wretch .William  Black 

Thelma Maiie  Corelli 

Those  Girls John  Strange  Winter 

Treasure  Island Robert  Louis  Stevenson 

True  To  Herself -Mrs.  J.  H.  Walforth 

Uncle  Tom's  Cabin Harriet  Beecher  Stowe 

Under  Two  Flags "Ouida" 

Weddingf  Ring,  The Robert  Buchanan 

Wee  Wifie .Rosa  Nouchette   Carey 

White  Company,  The A*  Conan   Doyle 

We  Two Edna  Lyall 

Won  by  Waiting Edna  Lyall 

Wormwood Marie  Corelli 

Yale  Man,  A ,  Robert  Lee  Tyler 

Youngf  Mrs.  Jardine Miss  Mulock 

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FORM  NO.  DD6                        UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  BERKELEY 
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YC140981 


